Moving Mayhem

Aye Aye Aye! I'm sorry for the lack of posts, but I swear, I've been a very busy little bee. Between being in Scotland for two weeks (got stuck there longer due to bad weather) and the movers packing up our house, I've been trying to catch my breath.

So, here we go! 

Last week, the movers arrived bright and early to get the whole show rolling. Truth be told, I barely prepped at all. Call it laziness, call it procrastination...frankly, I just didn't care. Yes, really. With all the things that are going on, I just don't care. I realize it sounds bad, but, I think all of us hit that "wall" at some point where you throw your hands up in the air and just deal with whatever happens. I *was* responsible and put our important documents to the side so those didn't get packed, hid suitcases with prepacked clothes in addition to hiding the dogs carriers.

Bright eyed and busy tailed, the moving company descended upon our house with their prepping van and moving truck. Oh my gosh..my street is kind of narrow, so it was interesting to see other large lorries roll down the street and squeeze past our temporary road blocks. The guys were having a little team meeting when it came to figuring out how to attack our stuff..then started the mayhem.

The four man team rolled through our house like it was nothing! All the boxes throughout the house started giving me flashbacks to when we were moving from Vandenberg to here...it's crazy how fast time flies! 

The living room

Kitchen

My office

Macie & Izzy inspecting the movers packing job..

Of course, harassing the poor movers all day long really tuckered out the ankle biters:

Over the course of three days, they got everything packed up, shifted around, and then loaded up into the massive moving lorrie. There were some items I was extremely curious about them getting out of the house since we had a heavy chair in addition to a large table on the 2nd floor...and they intended on removing them through the window. Yeah..that boggled my brain a little bit. Turns out, they have this hydrolic lift that they set up in order to bring down multiple boxes in addition to furniture. This...this I've never seen before, so of course I recorded the guys in action: 

The crew was very nice and made sure to take extra care when it came to wrapping and packing up my pottery, antiques and travel trinkets. I think it's because Eric and I did some schmoozing by stocking our mini fridge with all sorts of drinks, making coffee & tea for them in the morning in addition to buying them lunch every day. Hey, some people think it's silly to do that because it's their job to move our stuff, but it doesn't hurt to be nice to the guys who are handling YOUR valuables. 

While they were packing and making more boxes, Eric and I became a little obsessed with their tape dispensers  Yes, really. If you pack and ship stuff as frequently as we do, then you know how much those dispensers with the handles are a major pain in the ass. These guys had something that was SO incredibly simple, I'm shocked that I haven't seen 'em in the States before. 

By the time they were all finished up and ready to roll out, they actually gave us two of the contraptions  because they really appreciated how much we took care of them in terms of food / drinks. Normally, I'd tell them not to worry about it..but we wanted those dispensers, LOL. So, yay! We'll be keeping one while the other goes to my Dad since I know he'll use the hell out of it.

The only casualty out of the whole packing event was our kitchen light. Truth be told, I hate that thing... it hangs down low enough to where you smack your head on it despite being vigilant of your surroundings. Apparently I wasn't the only one having issues with it since the movers cracked their domes on it several times each...

So, our stuff is on it's merry way to the States and we should hopefully be reunited with all of it sometime next month, or possibly April. Is it sad that I'm already dreaming of when I get my beloved bed back? Well, and my kitchen.....mmmmmm...large kitchen space......

A few days later, it was time to ship off my beloved Big Blue. The last time we did that, I was a little scarred by the whole experience since the shipping port in California was run by some massive assholes. This time around, the guy we worked with was extremely nice, had an awesome sense of humor got us all taken care of. He even let me go give her a hug, and tell her my good-byes. Go ahead and laugh at me, but she's my baby.

The plus size to shipping off my Xterra is that the interior has been completely detailed...I don't think shes looked that nice since I bought her! The downside is that I gotta buy gas the second we roll out of the pickup place because you can only turn your vehicle in when it's almost empty :( Nice fat gas bill in California...yayyyy. 

There you have it! A little run down of all whats been going on. Lots of stress, lots of cleaning, and lots of sleeping on uncomfortable surfaces. Only 11 more days till we're stateside bound! 

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When "push" comes to "shove"...

Welp, in a previous post, I talked about us being in the process of buying a home we really fell in love with that's located near our next assignment. 

We've been working on it since November, so, for the past two months...we've been dealing with paperwork, making my printer / scanner earn its keep, and going back and forth with the Sellers. For the most part, things were going rather smoothly....

 Blah blah blah. 

After an inspection was done on the home, some major things needed to be repaired and we weren't really willing to budge on it. The Sellers, apparently, had the same logic in terms of not budging when it comes to fixing the listed items. In my eyes, when an inspection report clearly states that parts of the roof need to be replaced, the furnace needs repair and the electrical system NEEDS to be looked at by a LICENSED Electrician, you can't just sweep that under the rug. Of course, we stood by what we wanted fixed in our "Objection, Resolution & Waiver Amendment" and that the major things we listed HAD to be resolved. Two weeks go by and the Sellers finally got back to us with basically saying "Yeaaaaaaaahhh....we'll fix the little diddly stuff that's not important *at all*, and we'll have our buddy check out the electrical system even though he kind of sorta knows what he's doing"... 

The picture above pretty much conveys how Eric & I feel. They weren't willing to negotiate anything. Not even some sort of wiggle room so we both win in the end. After talking at length with our Realtor, we finally decided to throw in the towel (at his suggestion) since the Sellers were basically trying to bulldoze sticking us with roof repairs, furnace replacement and various plumbing issues in addition to the electrical system. VERY frustrating since two months worth of work just went up in smoke. I realize it's all part of the big machine when it comes to buying a home...but, GAH! Although, it did feel good to sign off on the "Termination Agreement"...I just wish I could see the Sellers face and be like "SEE?? Being a turd doesn't pay!"

So, I hit the ground running and trolled through more real estate listings. It was a little discouraging at first since all the homes I *really* didn't like were still available, LOL. Nothing new had popped up. Le Sigh. I finally just had a map load with all the potential listings with the specs we were wanting and went through one by one....ugly kitchen here....no yard there....what's with that paint color?? I took A LOT of mental notes in terms of what *NOT* to do to our home when it comes to decor. 

Just when I was about to throw in the towel and sulk, I found it. I found a house with the exact same square footage, appearance and everything that the house we had originally put an offer on. AND, it has a gorgeously landscaped backyard, it's a nice chunk cheaper in terms of the asking price, there is an interior AND exterior fireplace, AND....AND!! And the homeowner is a Contractor, so he's taken exceptionally good care of the home and had made various improvements and upgrades to the property. SWOON! Of course, I instantly call our Realtor and go figure...he knows the guy since he was a Contractor for twenty years! AH! So, he was able to go over and check out the house, talked to him for a while about the whole terms and conditions...can I say I'm excited? No. Hopeful is a better word in this case. 

Here's a sneak peek of some of the pictures our Agent sent us: 

Apparently they're dog people. The funny thing is that Eric and I were planning on installing a doggy door just like this when we got a house. The fact that its already been done (installed properly with insulation), I think it's a sign!

A view of it from the inside:

There's a metal gate that leads out to the street from the backyard. Luckily, he was awesome and it's all  super secured so not just anyone can open it up and walk on in. Here's how it looks from the street:

Since it's kinda ugly to look at a metal gate, he actually framed it up with wood fencing to make it look better. I think he did an awesome job! Plus, there's a good amount of concrete under the fence line to help "dog proof" the area so little diggers like my ninjas can't get out. 

And here's how it ties together with the rest of the yard:

I'm VERY happy about the yard because of all the homes I've searched through, maybe two had nice backyards. It sounds silly, but I'm just stoked to see that much greenery even available considering we're moving to the desert and the majority of the homes have rock yards. Going from gorgeous Belgium to dirt is gonna be rough for me. So, this will help a little smidge.  

So, at this point in time, I'll just agree with the saying "Things happen for a reason". Hopefully everything goes SMOOTH with this house! Fingers crossed!

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Dumbing Down

The time has come. 

Grimms...uhh..."brains" have completely matured now that he's on the verge of being eight months old.  Not that he's any smarter or anything since he is still rather derpy..anyway...he's not allowed to keep the "brains". For the sake of his health and my sanity, those suckers gotta go. Sorry, Bub! 

I took him to our awesome Vet this morning ...I think he new the jig was up. I mean, I told him we were going to the market and I was gonna get him some bacon & chicken meatballs (he loves those things), so of course he had some pep in his step. The second I pressed the buzzer for us to go into the waiting room of Dr. Hildes office, he started pawing my leg. He knew. 

Sigh. I picked him up and made our way in. Instantly, Dr. Hilde opened the door straight into the exam room and exclaimed "Oh wow! Grimm has gotten big!". Indeed! He's now tipping the scales at a sturdy 17lbs and he's longer than Cole (thankfully, not as heavy). Looks like he's gonna turn out to be a standard size rather than a mini (fine by me!). She was lovin' on his coat color, the fact that he was a very very happy dog, his weight was perfect (yessss!!) and that everything looked wonderful in terms of his health. 

While she let him run around the exam room for a little bit to burn some energy off, she helped me out with all the Puppy Passport stuff I needed to get done for the remaining hooligans. Then came the part where I felt like a bad Mommy. She had me hold him while she shot something into his hind leg that'd make him very..very relaxed. Poor booger screamed like a banshee. I put him back on the ground so he could run around a little more. I swear, within two minutes of the shot, he was PASSED OUT. He was sprawled out under her desk and sawing logs. Man, if only it were that easy to knock him out when we try to sleep at 10pm! Once all the passport stuff was done, she took him to her operation table and had me keep him company while she injected the rest of the anesthesia into him. By doing it this way, he wasn't stressed out with the sight of me leaving him behind or anything like that.  Ohhhh that little booger knew how to pull at my heart strings! He thumped his tail till he couldn't thump it any more and he was in La La Land. I really didn't want to leave him, but alas, I had to...

The time came for me to pick up my little Grimmling from his procedure and he was VERY happy to see me. Dr Hilde told me that the moment I buzzed the main door to come in, he started whimpering and pacing his kennel since he knew I was there for him. Such a smart booger! He was all wiggly (and piddly) and was oh so ready to head on home. Sure thing, buddy!

He's actually fairing pretty well, ya know, considering all the facts. For the next four days, he has spiffy pain meds and antibiotics to take. Then over the next ten days, he can't take a bath and we need to be very proactive about picking him up & setting him down when he wants to get on/off the couches & beds. THAT is gonna be a challenge since he likes to bounce all over the place. Oh well, I suppose it'll be payback for doing *this* to him in the first place. 

On that note, time for me to hug my tender wiener. 

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Afscheid 2012!

Time seems to have flown, especially since the movers will be coming next month to pick up our household items, then we'll be flying back to the States the following month. It's kind of crazy to me that it's already the end of the year, not to mention, our time in Belgium is almost up! 

Here's some memorable events from 2012: 

In January, I got to go to my first TNA Wrestling event with Eric over in Brussels. I mean, we traveled to London the year before, but Eric went to that event on his own while I chilled out at the hotel and got pampered at the spa. Hard life, right? Anyway, it was pretty cool to see in person, especially since the place wasn't super super packed and we got to sit fairly close to the ring :) 

In April, Eric went to Non-Commissioned Officers Academy and graduated! He was gone for a total of six weeks and he learned to be extra responsible, lol. I was (and still am) EXTREMELY proud of him! AND, he smiled willingly! VICTORY!

In June, I had a fabulous "girls trip" to Poland to do some more pottery shopping. We ended up staying at a place called "Palac Brunow" and it was absolutely AWESOME! 

In July, Eric and I celebrated our FIFTH wedding anniversary!! Oh my goodness! It feels like we just got married yesterday. It's rather crazy how much time has flown and all the things we've experienced together. Obviously, I'm looking forward to many...many more years together :D

In August, I got to see the last Flower Tapestry in Brussels for quite a long...long time. Hopefully Eric and I can come back for our ten year anniversary or something to see it again :) 

Oh, and we welcomed Grimm to the family in August :) He's a standard sized Wirehair Dachshund with a massive personality. Since his arrival, he's brought loads of entertainment, laughs and snuggles to our lives...he's definitely a perfect fit for our family.

In November, I got to spend my 30th birthday with Eric in Rome! We stayed at a fantastic B&B, got to see some amazing sites, and made some wonderful memories :)

Also in November, Eric, myself & a group of gals went to Poland to do our last round of shopping. I realize when I went in June, I said it was gonna be my last one...but obviously I couldn't stay away from the place. Not to mention, Eric was really wanting to go since he was jonsing for some Polish food. 

In December, we started the process of buying our first home! I'm SO excited!! I'm looking forward to having a place that's OURS rather than renting a place or living on base. Decorating ideas have been running through my mind non stop in addition to finding lots of things I can do in our soon to be new city. 

Hopefully, everyone will have a very Happy New year and start off 2013 on the right foot :)

Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book.

 Write a good one.

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Guest Room Galore!

Now that I know we officially have a home waiting for us, all sorts of ideas are popping into my head. As you saw in a previous post, I talked about what I wanted to paint in the living room, how I wanted to make our stairs look like massive books, along with a variety of other things. 

We'll have a guest room available for people to stay in while visiting. Of course, I have ideas in terms of that room and the "theme" I want to go with... 

If you know me, it really shouldn't surprise you that I want to have an aviation themed space in the house. I grew up with my Dad taking me to airshows in addition to teaching me about WWI and WWII  planes, medals, events..basically anything and everything under the sun. I think that's why I have such an interest in antique / historical things. As I've been hunting online for ideas and inspirations, I came across this really cool planked picture on several design sites, but it was never really listed as to how much it cost or where to get it: 

Turns out, it's actually from Pottery Barn. And it's $300. Errrmmm...that's a little rich for my blood, especially since I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to validate to Eric the price tag. Vintage furniture? Sure. But some planks of wood with an image on it? Nah unh. After looking over the item description, it pretty much dawned on me that I could totally do this myself. 

Here's some images I found and altered which I can use to make the impression print. I realize the one that Pottery Barn used looks like a vintage airliner...I prefer the super cool planes like a P-51 Mustang:

With this image, I'd have to resketch it out so I can get just the lines and make it flush with the horizon:

I can pick up the wood pieces from Home Depot for somewhere around $30, I already have white primer paint as well as sandpaper to make it look aged...then it shouldn't cost that much to get a print made of the plane so I can mod podge it to the boards. In total, I'm probably looking at $50 to make it, if that. 

Then for the rest of the room, I'm going to incorporate some airplane models my Dad has built over the years, repaint a dresser to look more vintage in addition to getting some brushed steel accents for around the room. I'm hoping I can pull it all together so it has that 1930's -1940's feel. Maybe I can sweet talk my Dad into giving up his badass wood propeller he has laying around...

I'm gonna try to find an old wood footlocker and make it look like it fell out of WWII with various markings in order for it to look like it's seen some action. It'll hang out at the foot of the bed:

...or even the wood trunk I picked up near Brussels: 

Of course, we'll need an old school globe:

Annnnd I think I wanna get an old aviator cap, flight goggles and a spiffy scarf so I can have it look like they were just hung up after a long day of flying. Of course, I'll use reproduction ones since I'm sure my Dad would twitch himself into a fit knowing that I'm using real, historical pieces as decor that'll just hang around a room:

Yes, Dad. I know this is a British issued flight cap...stop twitching....

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