This is no April Fool's, we really ARE moving in 18 days...

Paperwork is signed, the house in Curtis Bay Maryland is ours to rent for the next year. I have 18 days and counting to get this entire home sorted and packed. I've spent the last three days packing up Jack's room and spending some not-so-lovely time in the E.R. due to a concussion. It's not the ideal Spring Break for Jack I'm sure, but his room is done. Whew.

The next hurdle is my Craft Room. Yikes! I've sold almost 50 sets of stamps, freecycled boxes of misc. craft item odds n' ends, and have packed 6 boxes in there so far. Yet, it doesn't look like I've touched it! A sure sign I'm a HOARDER of crafts. What is a girl to do?!

Makes me a little sad to leave this home. Even though I LOVE my house, I can't wait to get the heck outta Texas. Wish I could bring the house with me. It's perfect for all of us.

We've decided to go with ABF U-PAK this time for our move. When we moved here from California we (along w/ a ton of friends and family) packed a large 28 ft UHaul and we moved ourselves. It was horrible. This time, we have completely downsized and are going with the container system. We chose ABF 'cause they were cheaper by HALF than the famous one's you see advertised like P.O.D.'s or PackRat. We pack it, they ship it, leaving us to travel on the road together in our own vehicles with just the kiddos and a few selected items in the back. Love it.

A home to call our own... for the next year anyway!

We found out this morning that we've been approved for our very first East Coast home!! Yay! I have been doing a happy dance all day! It's cute, in a good location and in our price range! Woot!

3 Bdrm
2 1/2 bath
Finished Basement
Water Priveleged

We'll be 1 hour from DC, 25 minutes to Baltimore, 30 minutes to Annapolis and 2 hours from Philadelphia.

Now my new adventure begins. I have 27 days to MOVE DATE!! I can officially change my address on my resume, the recruiters now know where exactly to help me look for work, the moving company has been updated....ahhhh bliss.

Now to make this whole scenario "perfect" would be to find a killer nanny job for another year that would let me be with my kiddos a little bit longer. We'll see. For now, my sights are set on big brown moving boxes!!! Yay!!

As an added note: MANY THANKS to our ever wonderful and PATIENT realtor, Sandy January. You were so wonderful to David and I. If any of you (assuming I'll eventually have more than 5 followers! ha!) need a realtor in the greater Baltimore area, I HIGHLY recommend her.

Hi everyone (anyone?)!

I've had this blog set up for over a week now. Everywhere I go, everything I do all day, I think "oh that would be good for the blog" or instead I think "what was I thinking? I don't have the time for this".

So, today is officially my first entry. Lucky you. The decisions that led to me ultimately doing this are much too long to list. The jist of it is, I'm a mom of three children who most of the time don't listen to me, a wife to a wonderful husband who doesn't always understand me, a daughter to a mother who is now deceased & a father who I'm finally getting to know, and the best sister to three siblings anyone could ask for (insert ridiculous laugh here).

For the last four years I've been living in the Houston, Tx area. Most of the time, I'm miserable here (besides you handful of friends who've made it bearable). The positives are, I had my last two babies while here and had the wonderful privelege of being a stay at home mom. It's the hardest job I've ever had. Typically this is when I'd say I wouldn't trade it for the world.... but....

We're in the process of moving. Again.

The move is because I want it. I begged and begged and finally wore my husband down (Love you baby!). Since my early 20's when I had a job w/ a booming IT company. That company sent me to Virginia on a few business trips. This was my first experience anywhere outside of California. Instantly, I fell in love. With the entire D.C. Metro area. I don't know if anyone gets it when I say I felt like I was "home". I had never experienced anything like it. I connected with the area. Unfortunately, moving there wasn't an option then. A short time later, I was laid off from that company, moved to Northern California for a new job, lost my mother, went through a divorce, bought a house, got remarried, bought another home with my new husband... Life happened and the dream of moving back there fizzled a bit.

In October 2008 my husband and I, my oldest son and our daughter took a family vacation to the Washington DC area (and to PA and NY too). This was not a good idea. The trip was exactly what I wanted it to be. The hotel was perfect, situated right on King St. facing the farmers market that Saturday morning. We woke up to the sound of live sax music right below our window. It was wonderful. Once again, I knew. I KNEW that very morning I belonged there. For good.

Since that trip, we've talked on and off about moving back east. This past winter, my husband requested a transfer and to my amazement it was approved! Ack!! Now what?! We're MOVING. I've done a happy dance every morning since I found out. I've been driving my husband crazy. I hate the process of moving... does anyone actually like it? I love being in a new place, just wish I could snap my fingers and just be there.

So, this blog has become my new outlet to vent about the bad stuff, boast about the great stuff and ultimately just share in my adventures of moving home, finally. If you'd like to join in on the crazy trip just follow my blog. Thanks.

Tara