Hello from Middle-of-Nowhere-ville!
One week ago today, we got the keys to our new house in Ruralville.
And we have not stopped working since.
(And when I say we, of course I mean my handsome Lumberjack, as I have certainly found time to blog the past few mornings. But in fairness, he has like a 45 minute drive to work, and that totally could count as resting and relaxation.)
On Thursday night, I went to the new house to clean and shampoo carpets.
The house is amazingly clean.
Attention previous owners: Thank you for cleaning so well.
Seriously.
No soap scum.
No stains.
Nothing to scrub.
Just some dust here and there.
Amazing!
I am sure the Lumberjacklings will change that up quickly.
On Friday, the girls had their last day of school. Then the kids and I took a load up in my stinkin’ huge Ford Excursion.
Does not a Ford Excursion seem like the opposite of something I would ever drive?
Fun Fact: That is not my rig.
Yes.
I just said rig.
That is a picture of a rig I copied and pasted off of Google Images.
Is that legal?
Funner Fact: The Lumberjack bought that rig one weekend without my pre-approval.
Another Funner Fact: He had to give me lessons on how to park the beast.
I may or may not have cried like a little girl.
Even Funner Fact: Before the rig, I used to drive a dented purple minivan.
I am classy like that.
I think the minivan, in conjunction with the girly purple color, was stifling The Lumberjack’s manliness.
Therefore, he had no choice but to purchase a 1-ton diesel rig for his beloved.
The kids and I unpacked the boxes we brought, and The Lumberjack brought a full truckload up after work.
Unpacking. Unpacking. Unpacking.
And remember!
Our two houses are about 30 minutes apart.
Well, 30 minutes apart when LJ is driving.
45 minutes if I am driving.
Saturday.
Saturday we went yard-saling.
We spent an ungodly amount of money.
You see, dear readers, we are keeping our old house as a vacation rental.
Therefore and henceforth, we must furnish two homes.
This is getting a little more pricey then I previously imagined.
But don’t lose heart!
We have 3, soon to be 5 bookings from now till the beginning of August!
Holla!
Sunday.
Sunday we moved.
Sunday was exhausting.
Monday.
Monday I unpacked while that Lumberjack abandoned me and went to work.
He did, however come home and make dinner, seeing as how I was a tired little Little Lumberjill.
Tuesday.
The Lumberjack had Tuesday off.
So, we loaded up the kids and went back to town to work on cleaning our old house.
The Lumberjack also has to finish the porch and repair the fence there.
We stayed there until 11:30pm.
And there is
still
more
work
to
be
done.
So, there you have it.
We are exhausted.
Plus, my knee is giving me grief.
Yes.
Grief.
Between the years 1996 and 1998, Lumberjill had 5 knee surgeries.
And all these strenuous activities are irking my knee and I am in a lot of pain.
Are you wondering what the purpose of this post is?
You are not alone.
I already shared this on Facebook, but take a looksie what I saw out my window yesterday!
I sure hope that come hunting season that mama and baby don’t come anywhere near my Lumberjack and his 17 firearms.
And now, dear readers, I would like to close with some bits of pointless, random information that I am sure you are dying to hear.
1. I cannot find my scale.
2. This is a good thing. Regarding weight, I like to adopt the philosophy that ignorance is bliss.
3. While home alone, I tried to turn on the shower, turn on the heat, and turn on the central-vac.
4. I failed at all three.
5. When The Lumberjack came home, he immediately got them all three working on his first try.
6. It is now a certain fact that I could never be single.
7. If I were, in fact, single, I would go through life dirty and cold. With messy floors.
8. There is carpet in my bathroom, but not around the toilet.
9. This is good news for Handsome Dude. I fear he cannot aim.
And, now, I would like to share a conversation I recently had with my oldest child, Sweet Pea.
Sweet Pea: Mom. I have to listen to God. He’s the boss.
Me: Good!
Sweet Pea: And every day, before I do something, I try to think if it is the right thing to do.
Me: That’s great!
Sweet Pea: Like in the mornings, sometimes you listen to Taylor Swift.
Me: Yes . . .
Sweet Pea: And I think to myself, “Is there a better choice?”
Me: Ok . . .
Sweet Pea: And I think, yes! We should listen to worship music!
Me: Oh!
Sweet Pea: So, Mom. I think that Taylor Swift is not a good choice. We should listen to worship music. God would like that better.
Me: Ok . . .
Sweet Pea: I like to make good choices.
And with that, dear readers, I will end all my meaningless drivel.
Goodbye.
And.
Good Riddance.
Hooray for the move!!
I understand the knee pain! For 3 years now almost constant pain. No one has answers. I’m still working on finding some.
I wondered about the furniture figuring that you would need to leave some in the “vacation house”.
And isn’t it funny that you moved AWAY from a place that can be considered a vacation place! Haha!
So, will you have school options for the kids or will you end up homeschooling?
Too funny about your big rig! I think you fit in around there, though. All my friends with 4 children drive those big things. My friends with 2 or 3 have minivans. I think it is a rite of passage with the 4th child.
I think that DH’s get plenty of wind down time when they have to commute. My DH had to commute from your previous town south over that stupid pass to a town south (that has a period in it’s name) a whole 60 miles and was constantly very late getting home. By that time I literally dumped the children on him and ran because I always need a break from them about 4pm/5pm and he was pushing 7pm by the time he arrived. Ugh! So glad he doesn’t have that commute anymore.
Sweet Pea cracks me up!!! =)
Oh Sweet Pea.
Shush.
I do not care to be convicted today. Please keep your astute and spiritually astounding comments to your sweet little self.
Thank you.
And Taylor? If I lived near Ruralville I would show up on your doorstep today with a jar of Nutella because it would help all that is wrong in your world.
I’m guessing though, by all the pictures you post that have actual trees in them that Ruralville is nowhere near my house on the prairie.
oh my goodness! Sweet Pea is AWESOME!
What a hoot. I rarely ACTUALLY laugh out loud when I read stuff. Today is a rare day. Kids.
They keep you honest…or at least, humble.
Good job on the picture of the deer. Maybe you are getting a hang of that fancy camera. I second the never being able to be single, I ask my husband to do the easiest things that I should know how to do, he always asks what I’m going to do if something would ever happen to him, I’m pretty sure nothing would ever get done in this house or I would be bothering my in-laws so much to come and take care of things. It’s so nice that Sweet Pea worries about what choices she makes. My son could care less. The other day he even told us he doesn’t like God because He made bugs and my son hates bugs. Gotta love the honesty that comes out of kids mouths.
There is definitely something to be said for a clean house before you move in. Wow!
Sweet Pea told us didn’t she…
I often think of all the stuff I did before I married the sweet husband. You know the stuff that I wouldn’t consider doing now. Hee hee…one of the joys of being married.
Have fun in the new house!
Oooh…we can compare wildlife notes. Let me know when you see ‘the circle of life’ in action. Until I lived here I had no idea that a small fox could kill, carry and devour a big fat groundhog.
Oh Sweet Pea. She’s such a sweet pea. : )
Okay, so #2. This is exactly why I don’t own a scale.
And that conversation with Sweet Pea. This is something very similar to the conversation I recently had with my 4 year old about driving fast. Not that I do that.
Thanks for the update!
I’m exhausted just reading what you’ve been doing! As for copying Google images, I hope it’s not illegal, cause I do it all the time! If anyone wants to sue me, they can contact me thru my blog. Thank you.
Sweet Pea sounds very spiritually mature…
Awesome picture of the deer! Ruralville will suit you:) Take lots of breaks so as not to bother your knees too much.
As for your Rig, I did picture you the minivan woman like myself. Maybe not purple, but I never imagined you to drive a beast like that!
By the way, did you listen to Taylor Swift or worship music this morning?
Sweet Pea sounds a lot like my little Princess. Isn’t it terrible when they start to put those things together? My little Princess is always asking if I think things make Jesus happy.
Sweet Pea blows me away! I am impressed!
I think it is so awesome that they left the house clean, what a blessing. What a precious picture of the deer, makes all that driving worth it 🙂
Great post. I have a confession. I bought the 30 Day Shred. I’m not starting it until after we get back from the beach (slightly counterintuitive, but whatever) but I’ll let you know how it goes–if I can muster the strength to type.
holla
I have no creative comments for you (do I ever?), so I normally would not comment but you said you don’t care what we say… as long as we say it. Is that what Erin just did? Yea, I’m doing it too.
holla.
Loved today’s & yesterday’s posts! Reading about children is my fav.
#1 sry about your knee!! #2 you gots some cute deers in your backyard!! #3 i detest cleaning of any kind, anywhere!! #4 glad your new houses previous owners cleaned it for you!!! hooray!! back to camp i go!!! =)
Oh, Sweet Pea. We firstborns can tend to be a little, um, self-righteous. 🙂
Our house was totally clean when we moved in, and we also left ours spotless. Not so with our first house. Stress! It’s especially bad when it’s someone else’s hair inside drawers and food gunk inside the fridge. Yuck.
Hooray for the bookings! You and LJ were so smart to go that route. (BTW, I found your listing since I know just enough to make me dangerous. LJ has done such a great job, you’d never know from the inside that the house is 100! Totally looks new.)
I’m very impressed with your rig–and slightly jealous. I drive a 12-passenger Diesel van. People stare at me when I drive by. I can’t park it very well. On the plus side, I have run over things with it and never hurt the vehicle. I can’t say as much for the things I ran over. I almost ran over a Prius this morning. I think my diesel presence offended the driver more than the fact that he almost met his maker. Or not.
Don’t you love it when kids correct you? Get used to it–they do it more frequently as they get older.
Oh, Jill I don’t know you but I’m in tears laughing about your comment! Too funny!
1- YEAH for clean houses.
2- YEAH for big rigs. How else can you get 4 kids and groceries to and from nowhere-ville?
3- Looks like you are now going to have to listen to KLOVE in the mornings 😉 Kids are tooooo smart, ya know?!
So now I’m curious, does Sweet Pea or Taylor Swift win this one???
Actually, I love worship music too… On the radio it is all I will listen to, but I do have other music on my ipod.
It hurts my heart when I think about all your knee surgeries and recoveries. I know how difficult it is when people say lay down and rest with your leg up, like you can even do that with four kids and moving. I feel for you. I had to move Mom’s house with a torn rotator cuff. Everyone said don’t do it but it had to be done. Photo of deer, like all your photos is beautiful. I hope you don’t come across a cougar also and bears. A little too close to the children. I could tell you Take it Easy, but knowing you really can’t right now. Good Luck
Go Sweat Pea!!
I mean, um… no… yeah…
Will you still be my friend even though I don’t like T. Swizzle?
You know, I’d love to help you with watching kiddos or something, but I doubt you will take me up on it. So maybe I will call you and pressure you into letting me help you. Glad that’s settled! 🙂
….out of the mouth of babes, He has ordained praise…:) …your little girl is a sweetie!
My oldest (who is 5) told me that she didn’t like me bossing her around and I told her that I was the mom and I GET to do that! And when she’s a mom, she will get to do it, too! (I was not having a good day, can you tell?)
Have I already told you this story? I can’t remember. I think I need to go to bed!
“Rig” is one of the five best words. My dad has probably said the word “rig” more than “the” or “a” during his lifetime.
Oh, a fawn! We haven’t seen one yet this year. 🙂
I was wondering when you got a red excursion. LOL! There is no way I could parallel park that thing by your old house. You deserve a medal!
I’m just jealous that you live in a place that people go to vacation. Seriously.
Keep up the good work, sista. 🙂
Marla @ http://www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com
I HATE moving.. I hate even reading about someone moving. Scratch that. I like reading about because its not ME moving! 🙂
I could never be single either. 😉
Your Sweet Pea sounds like a wise gal!! For years, I started off our mornings with devotions with the kids (until my Chicky got Senior Free first period and slept in that first hour…during which it was just Rooster and me).
How long until you’re in the new house for good? After that deer sighting, I’d be aching to be there!!! You lucky girl!
this is the 4th time I’ve tried to leave a comment… each time an error comes up (probably due to the afore mentioned tiredness…) and I have to re-type it… I am too tired to re-type again… so… “Hi”…
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Sweet Peas is wise. I think I’ll turn on my worship music.
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