Worldly Goods

Due to a lot of unforeseen circumstances, this has been the longest move ever.  And certainly the most challenging.  Let me explain.

Back in October, the girls and I packed up all of their clothing, a few pieces of mine and some random toys/games/craft items that we thought they would like to have for the next few months.  I threw in 6 plates, mugs and sets of utensils to use at the new house and off we headed to our new home in the U.S. while B stayed with the majority (all?) of our things back in Munich.  The idea was simple.  We needed to buy a lot of things anyway - new bedroom furniture for the girls and ourselves (ours was going in the guest room), new living room furniture as the stuff we had would be going in the loft, kitchen table because we didn't own one...you get the picture.  It would allow us to live in two houses until B joined us in Florida a few months later.

We set up home here and learned to live without a lot of things.  But it was getting old not having enough dishes to make it through more than two meals each day.  And the girls were really missing their things.  And I was hating having to rebuy things we already owned just because they were 5,000 miles away.  And the big kicker, B still didn't have a move date!  This was not the way it was supposed to work out.

Finally, we made the decision to send our things home and for B to move into a furnished apartment in Munich until his job was finished there and he could ultimately move home.  So, 7 months after we left everything behind, it was packed up, put in our container and shipped home.  Ironically, it was the fasted shipment we had ever received (a month from door to door).

Leaving Munich!

It's here!  They did have to remove it from the container because it was too big for our streets.

My helpers for the day.

We can't forget this one.  She was a trooper at getting things checked off an in the right spot inside.  I did have to take the job from her when we realized that the packers in Munich might have been the worst we have ever encountered.  From putting the box number on the tape (where is wore off) to not using any paper to pack anything, to having boxes have empty and crushed, it was almost like they let 3 year olds pack us up.  We have a HUGE list of broken and damaged items but at least our things are home.

Now if I could just get out from underneath these boxes (and keep the cats out of them).  Moving with a half-full house presents a whole new set of challenges but I wouldn't trade it!

Home Sweet Home

It is a rarity in our lives when we get to wake up in our own beds on Christmas morning.  In fact, it has only been done twice in my girls lifetimes (evidenced here and here). As soon as we bought our house in the US, we decided that this year we would be waking up in our own home on Christmas morning.  We were all pretty excited to not have the stress of flying (and the jet lag that comes with it) that we have endured for the past 8 years.  We were so relaxed, in fact, that we left making Santas cookies to the last minute on Christmas Eve, never made a celebratory dinner (didn't want leftovers because even though we would be there Christmas morning, we would not be there Christmas night), and we hopped over to the movie theatre to catch a flick.  The girls were in heaven.  And so were we.  It was slow and easy and just what we needed after the past few months of craziness.  Next year we will probably travel again and wake up in someplace other than our own home, and I am ok with that.  But this year, this was just what the doctor ordered.

Fidget got handled quite a bit on Christmas Eve (the only day the girls can touch her), and Stinkerbell kept checking to see where Santa was. 

Just because we were at home didn't mean that we didn't have Nana and Grampa read the traditional Twas the Night Before Christmas to the girls.  We just had to do it over Skype.

Everyone got to open one present on Christmas eve.  I think they were all pretty happy.

Eggnog, cookies, and carrots were left for Santa and the reindeer.

Santa made some large deliveries this year!

I woke to this sight - the girls were patiently awaiting the adults to come downstairs so they could open their presents.

But first, Coffee and Kringle.

The little elves handed out presents...

We had an early flight out of Fort Myers airport the next morning.  Which meant spending the night at Nana and Grampas on Christmas night even though they were already in Colorado.  It also meant taking Dulce and Pepper over with us so that their dog sitter could watch all 4 of the animals while we were gone.  This was Dulce and Lucy's first meeting (dog sitter petting Dulce already).  And it was the beginning of a great friendship!

Backyard Living

With B home it was time to finally put that backyard barbeque to use.  With gloriously blue skies and seasonably warm temps, we sent out the invitations to the family and we were excited that so many of them could make it on one day of the weekend or the other.  We got B's cousin A to ourselves on Saturday and spent a long leisurely afternoon by the pool.  And after he left, the kids jumped into the pool for a late afternoon swim with B (I do not get in water that cold unless absolutely life or death).  Sunday brought us a repeat of the weather and even more family - this time the entire S family and the grandbabies!  It was a fabulous way to catch up, unwind and have a little fun!  Cannot wait to do it all again soon.

The S family!

Bits and Bobs

Random happenings from our December...

It's not always sunny in Florida. 

Our latest MEL science kit had us growing metal hedgehogs.

Silly hairdos.

We have more furniture (though still no couches).  And a few Christmas decorations.

More glorious sunrises.

Santa brought us presents.  On a fire engine!  At the house!

All dressed for the theatre  where we saw The Nutcracker ballet.

I am this many glasses old.

We made a mini gingerbread village on a playdate at our house.

PJ day at school on the last day before break.

Class movie on PJ day.

We finally got our bed!  After sleeping on the floor for almost 3 months!

And with that - To all a goodnight...

They're here!

When we left Munich 2 months ago we left behind a part of our lives that isn't easily forgotten or replaced.  Both of those things were brought back to us yesterday - one permanently and one for just the next two weeks (but hopefully permanently very soon). I woke yesterday morning to this picture...

She only looks sad - she is really happy because she is coming home to us :)

This was the second photo on my feed - Dulce being loaded onto the jet so she could move home with us!

And then the day went on as any other Wednesday does.  Until it was time to leave for the airport to pick up our people!

We now have B and Dulce at home where they belong.  One we get to keep, the other we only get for two weeks.  We plan to make the most of it!

Happy, happy, happy.

Happy.  Happy.  Happy.