HOME!!!

This week started off with the idea that it would be somewhat relaxed while we looked for housing. As many of you know we were originally told by the Coast Guard housing department that there was a waiting list of 6months to a year for base housing. Due to the waiting list once we checked in to the base we would need to get approval to live on the economy which means to rent/buy a house in the community. Without the approval we would be put on the waiting list after arriving and would need to stay in a hotel or temporary rental until housing came available on base. With that in mind we figured on Monday we would call let housing know we were in town and get things started on the approval while we house hunted. This meant a semi-relaxed week of looking at houses while S used up the rest of his leave time. However, after talking with the housing department we were informed that several houses had come available on base and we could be in a house that very afternoon if we wanted one. They allowed us an "unofficial" look at the houses that were available so that we could decide before S reported in if we wanted one or not. We decided to go with the a house located on Lake Louise. This is the neighborhood S lived in the last time he was here he really like the area and I have been told that it is one of the best neighborhoods still. So after completing all the required paperwork we had a house by late Monday night. Because we got in a house so fast S was told he wouldn't be getting the normal 10days off to house hunt and set up house, he was only given this week. Tuesday morning was spent doing more paperwork and packing up the hotel room we had been in for the weekend then we hit the ground running to get the uhual unpacked. We were moving into a 3story duplex style home with an amazing view of the lake and mountains.

While I like the house I do have some issues with the layout, which I think would happen with any home that you don't personally design. We had several issues just trying to get the uhual unloaded on Tuesday, between the rain/snow, the girls wanting to play on the stairs and the 3sets of stairs we had to carry the furniture up. When it is only the 2 of you trying to carry bedroom sets up the stairs in the rain and keep the babies in the house, those 2 small sets of stairs count as 2 separate sets, they seemed a lot taller while we were moving things as well! Needless to say I was exhausted by the time we laid down Tuesday night. Our efforts did pay off however as we had the master bedroom and the girls rooms completely set up, so no one had to sleep on the floor.

Our room has one of the best views in the house. The house is situated just right to look between the 2houses in front of us so we have a great view of Lake Louise. Rising behind the lake is Barometer Mountain. I have been told you can tell the seasons from the mountain. During the winter it should be completely white, as it is now it is almost summer by the end of summer it should be green all the way to the top, so we are half way there.

The girls room was a little smaller than we were expecting however, they are small so it won't really matter. Its kind of funny I think their room in the trailer was bigger than this room. This room does have a better view however. Their room overlooks the back yard with a small hill and woods. I've heard there is a bear trail that follows the top of the hill so they may be able to watch bear walk behind the house this summer. Don't worry they are on the third floor, they can see the bear but the bear can't see them.

We also have a nice sized fenced in back yard, which neither of us were expecting. The yard makes me want to have animals again. Everyone around us has a dog! I think a few are even community dogs. Saturday while I was working on unpacked some boxes in the girls room A starts getting excited and saying "doggy, mommy, doggy!!!!", I turned around and sure enough one of the neighbors dogs had wandered into the garage where S was working and come all the way up to the girls bedroom. He was a very sweet lab puppy that laid down in the doorway and looked at me like "I can't get out, I know I'm not suppose to be in here, but I just can't find the door." I found it quite funny, his owner seemed a little embarrassed when I returned him. But I digress. . .

Unloading Tuesday was a little stressful with the girls running loose. We finally got enough unloaded to build them a "play pen" in the living room. While I helped S and one of neighbors unload some heavy items. Fortunately, we also got to meet the couple that we share a wall with. They were very nice and offered to watch the girls for us on Wednesday so we could finish unloading. He is on a cutter and will most likely be gone quite a bit so she stays home with their twin girls. The girls are just a few months older than A so they played wonderfully together. We also found out that there aren't really anymore little girls on our side of the neighborhood. The only families she had met all had little boys or their girls were much older than our kids. So we are both a little excited to have such good playmates for the kids. With the girls playing next door we were able to get the rest of the uhual unloaded and get it returned which also saved us on daily rental. The rest of the week has been spent organizing and unpacking.

The girls have had a blast playing with broken down boxes and were even enjoying their time in their "play pen". Thursday and Friday were a little more relaxed as we unpacked and made time for a few outings whenever the sun would decide to come out. We also learned Thursday that we have been roaming since leaving Washington and had racked up quite a phone bill. S had contacted Verizon before leaving Fl to make sure that we would be covered since "all Verizon plans are nationwide and include Canada". However, the representative he spoke with did not realize that we are on an Alltel plan that was switched to Verizon when the company was bought, therefore nationwide and Canada are not included. Every time we call, text, check our messages, get online, anything we were being charged at least double. Therefore, we spent Thursday and Friday with no phone and no Internet. Friday afternoon we had our new house phone connected and by Saturday we were pretty much done unpacking. I still have a few boxes of books and scrap booking supplies, that I need a table and bookshelf for, however with moving yard sells coming up I'm sure to find something pretty soon. My goal was to have all the boxes unpacked and put away in less than 2weeks. Since I was only able to find bookshelves at the yard sell this Saturday I may have to push that goal back a little until I find a table to do scrap booking on. Today was going to be our first real family relaxed day since all the moving and unpacking began. However, this morning as I was putting my shoes on for church S walked in complaining of pain on his right side. Before I could turn around good the neighbors were watching the girls and we were headed to the hospital with concerns that he may have appendicitis. Come to find out it was a small kidney stone most likely due to mild dehydration and stress. We were back home before the girls got up from their nap and he is doing much better! We had thought he would get next week off to pass the stone however he feels like it has already passed so I would be surprised if they give him tomorrow off. Next week we should be back to ops-normal, well normal enough for our first real week in our new home!