Wednesday, August 29, 2018

New Car, New House, New challenges

We spent a few days at the RV park waiting until we moved into our house.  We looked at a few cars and finally decided on one.





It's a 2013 Chevy Suburban.  It's roomy and has cargo space!



WE MOVED INTO OUR NEW HOUSE!

OK, well, not moved IN, but we are on the property, still living in our RV while we get the house in order.
It has been an interesting experience to buy a house and have a personal relationship with the seller, rather than the very sterile experience when going through a real estate agent.  They helped us unload our truck.  We helped them load theirs.  We went to the electric company and got the account transferred in minutes (no other utilities or bills).





Here are some pictures of what we are up to.
























From Saturday to Tuesday.  We have cleared almost every room.  All furniture out.  All carpet out (2 rooms).  Paint cans, space heaters, jars, things they left for us, things they left, and random items out.  Bathrooms steam cleaned.  Kitchen wiped.

FLEAS and TICKS
Piglet was "buggy," so he slept in the house Saturday night.  

[Note: I do not like to go to sleep feeling like there are bugs crawling all over me.  Here, when it feels like that, it is because that's what is happening!  So gross!  Thankfully, we have learned how to avoid it, even when bugs are everywhere.  Garlic keeps ticks from biting.  Salt scrubs get the chiggers off.  And fleas don't like water.]

I bathed Piglet on Sunday.  His skin appeared mostly black when I got him wet.  He must have had more than 500 fleas!  and ticks too!  It made me so sad.  Horrible.  Poor little doggie.  
Monday morning I bought foggers and pest spray.  Amelia's seminary teacher suggested I call a pest control place.  It lasts much longer and it's much more thorough.  
As opposed to poison and chemicals as I am, I doubt I could have fought the bug fight successfully.  Per instructions, I shopvac-ed the entire house before the guy came Tuesday morning.  I couldn't find my vacuum hose, and I was told to vacuum 1-3 times per day, so I bought a vacuum, and got back to work.  We shall see how it goes.
I also bought Piglet the "good" flea control.  It is supposed to be quite effective.  If it means no bugs or dead bugs, then I want it.  I don't want him bringing in bugs every time he goes out and comes back in.  What a headache.

We also have wasps.  They hover around the garage that our stuff is in.  We have to be careful every time we go in or out of the structure.  Elanor was stung on her arm and nose.  SO painful.  She's NOT allergic though!  Eric was stung on his ankle, also not allergic.

I did not expect the bugs to be the issue they have become.  New area.  New climate.  New challenges to solve and overcome.


The onions are struggling with bugs, anticipation, and overwhelm.  But they are helping and are impressive in what they are capable of!
When I get discouraged or overwhelmed, I try to envision the end result in my head.  Motivation.




Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Good Bye Utah - Hello Missouri

We visited with as many people as we could in Utah.  I failed to get pictures of several of our visits.  We love you all.

Playing in the water while visiting with the Warehimes.


We have known the Kotter family for well over a decade.  We LOVE them!



Block tower!

Bunnies! The day they were born.

 Lots of fun with the Hubers.  We thought to take pictures AFTER the older boys left.


We picked up the truck and loaded it on Friday.  We did this as a family with one other helper, our nephew, Hunter.  Google made this little video from our pictures and videos.  Yay.  I'll learn to edit video later: soon, but later.

Trouble viewing?  Click here

I had 50 square feet more in the truck than the storage unit.  But We had more than 50 square feet of food storage.  It was going to be tight.  So I played Tetris in real life.  We ended up having extra space.






We were ALL exhausted!  
Eric and I thought it would take 2 - 3 hours.  I took over 4!



After we loaded up, we had a good bye party. Not without its glitches either. 
It was so very nice to visit one last time before moving.  We'll be back to visit.

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HOUSE BUYING DRAMA

Eric called on Tuesday to verify that we had our homeowners insurance lined up.  Nope.  Eric made a couple of calls to get that resolved.
We were informed on Wednesday that the closing date had been pushed out a week to Aug 30. 
Why?  
People dropped the ball.  
I called the lender and informed her that we specifically asked to close on the 23rd.  And that it was in an email sent directly to her as well.  She had overlooked it.  She said she would try to move it up.
It didn't really matter though.  The appraiser went out to the house, went on vacation, and then finished his report.  It took 2 1/2 weeks.
Friday, we were informed that the underwriter would NOT approve our loan.  The house is incomplete and unsafe, or something like that.  
It does not seem to matter that we are going to do the fixes before we live in it.

I called the seller.  Brother Nettles said we could move as planned and we can figure it out.  Such a blessing.  



We Left Saturday morning for Missouri.  

Amelia navigated us to this gas station.  
Both the moving truck and the RV fit and could fill at the same time!

Utah
Utah
Colorado
Colorado
Colorado
Kansas
Kansas
They kill/dry the corn on the plant.  Hmmm.


We drove through lightning and storms both nights.

Trouble viewing? Click here

Trouble viewing? Click here

Trouble viewing? Click here


We unloaded the truck bright and early Monday morning.  Brother Nettles, his dad, and brother Wilbur helped.






When we showed up in our RV and brother Nettles learned that we had no other vehicle, he gave us one to borrow while we looked for a new to us one!  Truly blessed.


On our way we saw two Amish horse and buggies right along side of the 65 mile an hour highway!(taking pictures at 65 miles an hour is a new thing)


We went looking at cars.  And found ourselves away at dinner time.  

Scott was the only one to finish all his food.  (Most of us clear our plates every time.)