Life in 8202–The Apartment

The girls had certainly made themselves at home in the guest suite, the one night we were there. However, December 31st was more than just a party night for us, it was the day we officially moved into our apartment. We had a leisurely morning of cartoons and cereal. I made a Target run to introduce myself to my new Target home and pick our new shower curtains and a few accessories for the new place. We slowly packed up and moved everything across the parking lot. We also took a family trip to Loran’s office to pick up the boxes he’d been storing in his office for us. We settled into our new home and spent a rockin’ New Year’s Eve asleep before midnight.

Living the good life. Watching shows on an air mattress and enjoying the view from the girls’ room.

Before our moving truck arrived, the girls had a blast spreading out and running around the open space. We also had to get used to apartment living and worrying about the girls making too much noise with their constant jumping, running, and giggles. On the other hand, we also had to get used to hearing other people’s walking, flushing, dog barking and cooking smells.

Here’s our apartment in its pre-lived-in condition.

Living room

Master bedroom

Kitchen and dining room.

Girls’ room and girls’ bathroom…no more sharing a bathroom! Whoo!

Our moving truck showed up on the 3rd. Their first stop was to our storage unit. While Loran was with them in the morning, the girls and I cleaned and got ready for our moving crew. Just before lunch, I got a text from Loran that he was in the ER because he had hit his chin and needed stitches. While informing me of his condition, he was actually asking that I bring him his phone cord. Off the girls and I went to the local ER clinic. It’s not a full-fledged hospital, but it’s a step up in services from an urgent care. The girls were very worried about Daddy, but when we arrived he was receiving the stitches so the nurses suggested I keep the girls out so they wouldn’t be scared. We left the phone cord behind, along with a nurse’s ID and keys we’d found in the parking lot. Off we went to check on our moving crew. The girls liked seeing the big truck and watch some of our furniture roll off. There wasn’t much we could do there, so we were off and passed Loran on the road. Loran’s chin received a half dozen stitches, but he was in good spirits and wasn’t in any pain. He even had a prescription for Vicodin. That seemed like overkill. I’m not sure he even needed ibuprofen after the first night. The facial wound also meant he got to try out the .com look of facial hair for a couple of weeks. We were all kind of digging the beard, but I suggested he shave it off before getting his driver’s license photo taken because our Texas licenses are good for seven years.

Mid-afternoon, the truck arrived at the apartment. We wanted to keep the curious little girls out of the way, so I took them to a nearby park. Within a few minutes of being at the park, both had to go potty. Typical. So, off we went to our favorite public restroom…Target. After our Target run, a quick stop at the apartment, I set off to find another park that was highly recommended. After missing it initially (which is silly in retrospect because it’s so easy to get to), I corrected my course only to arrive and find my passengers asleep in the back. So, I sat in the parking lot while they napped. As the crew wrapped up, the girls and I returned home. Loran and the guys had set up our beds, which was nice to see. Loran and I set out to put some order to the girls’ room so they could have a peaceful place to sleep.

Lily had received an interactive dog for Christmas from Chelsey. It was love at first bark. Lily named her dog Rowan, after our neighbor-girl. Rowan was packed up and put on the truck. Lily had grown quite attached to Rowan Puppy in the few days they were together. Our move had been marked in Rowan Puppy time. Lily needed to know how many sleeps until Rowan Puppy came on the truck. The day the truck came, there was constant questioning as to where Rowan Puppy was. Loran and I uncovered it pretty early in the evening. We turned the dog on and walked him into the girls’ room. Lily stopped what she was doing, dropped the toy in her hand and rushed to Rowan Puppy. The reunion was so sweet, I almost got choked up! Rowan Puppy has a designated spot in Lily’s crib every night.

Fun at the park. Reunited with Rowan Puppy!

We were then left with the task of unpacking. While the number of boxes seemed a little overwhelming, once they were broken into, it became less overwhelming to see that professional movers fill each box with a few things and a LOT of paper. The hardest part was moving the empty boxes and papers out of the way fast enough to get things unpacked. Because I’m a psycho, I was pretty much unpacked and mostly decorated  (a few decorations to make it home, but not all out) within five days. I like order and don’t like living in a box fort.

Day one, right after the movers left.

Day two.

Day three. Ella became quite proficient at removing all of those number stickers that covered all of our furniture.

One week after the moving truck rolled away, all of our boxes (except one holding paperwork) had been unpacked, broken down and removed. We were home (temporarily). This move has been a lot easier than Connecticut. It helps to have the girls and their school routine right away, but I am surrounded by our things, that are nice and familiar. When I moved to Connecticut, I was surrounded by wedding gifts. The dishes that are now comforting to me, were new and unfamiliar then. New décor, new furniture, new everything. I would have melt-downs when Loran wouldn’t purchase Jif peanut butter or Mrs. Butterworth syrup because the store brand wasn’t familiar and I needed to see something that looked like home. Now I see home everywhere I look. Our furniture, our décor, our dishes. It’s all familiar, it’s all good.

Kitchen

Our office and dining room

Living room.

Girls’ room and their own walk-in closet!

Master bedroom and our own walk-in closet and our own bathroom. Pinch me!

Our balcony and golf course view

Our very full storage unit, just waiting for the new house and garage and yard. Look closely, you’ll see Loran in that picture.

Apartment living isn’t the easiest when you’re used to having a house to yourself, and on-site storage. I miss my deep freeze. I hope I’ll have some toned muscles after walking my groceries across the complex and up the stairs. There are some things that we know we own (like a Costco quantity of toilet paper) but can’t find in storage so we have to buy more. The quarters are close (the couple across the balcony from us are “interesting”) and the smells and sounds are different. However, there are definite pluses. No yard work. The complex picks up our garbage from outside our door every night. Two bathrooms! Large closets. Not going down to the basement to get spaghetti noodles or switch laundry.

I feel pretty blessed to have a nice place to spend our time while our house finishes. Almost everyday, one of the girls comments on how much they love Texas. They enjoy apartment life and are learning to not jump inside, but as soon as we walk out the door, they immediately ask if they can jump, and then go nuts, jumping around right outside the door. I’m also becoming more lax with their noise as I get used to everyone else’s noise.