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8/25/2009

Don't Mess With Texas

I am moving. (not my blog, just me!) to Texas!!! Well I guess technically my blog is moving to Texas too, but the address will still be the same.

The Hubby got a promotion at work and we will be relocating to Texas. I am sad and excited and anxious and about a million other things. But mostly what I am is packing. Actually, my Hubby will be back and forth for a few months and I will probably stay where I am until Christmas break, but I have already started packing things up.

What does that mean for the blog? I am not sure yet. I think I may slow down to two posts a day (*gasp* the horror) for a bit, but then again I may not. I am just playing it by ear and thought I would let you all in on the news.

All I know is if I am moving away from my entire family I better be able to find old windows and shutters to hang in my house in Texas because I sure never could find any here!!

PS - anyone that has tips on moving out of state send them my way! The farthest I have ever moved was 20 miles.

53 comments:

KMR said...

Hey! I love your blog! I live in Boerne - just outside of San Antonio!

TidyMom said...

how exciting! I've never moved that far either - so I'm no help there!

2 posts a day? that's ALL? LOL seriously, I don't know how you do it!

Congrats on the promotion too!

~TidyMom

Charmaine said...

Everyone says pack up your kitchen last and then unpack it first, but when you've got small kids - do the kids' rooms last and first!! It will be a whole lot easier to keep your sanity with the move if your kids are doing okay because you've done everything you can not to disrupt their schedule. Believe me on this one. I've moved twice with young kids.

Cindy said...

Disposable stuff and take-out food will become your friend in the end so you can have your kitchen packed. Make sure stuff is packed before people come to help move (unless you have movers doing it, then you're super lucky!) If you're doing it yourself, just remember to have everything boxed up. You can't just shove everything in your car and take several trips across town to get stuff moved.

Congrats and good luck!

Kendra@My Insanity said...

Wow! What an exciting and stressful time for you! Best wishes with all of the chaos involved in a move!

~ Kelly Ann ♥ said...

You will love it there- I lived in TX for 3 yrs-

welcometomyfrontporch said...

My husband and I moved to Idaho from our family in TX and lived there for 5 1/2 years. It was rough at first, but our marriage grew so much without family coming over weekly. Now, we live in CO. (2 hours from his family and 10 hours from mine) It is A LOT closer, but we enjoy our own private life too. Do research on activites for your family, stores that will be there to shop at...if you are moving to a smaller town, stock up on your favorite things for hobbies and what not. I am from Texas so you are moving to a great state. Good luck with the move...look at it as a new life chapter instead of a new place.

Reese said...

Oh, that is very exciting!!! My sister LOVES Texas!! She says the people are very warm.
Advice, the other transplants need new friends too, but the locals can give you all of the great info that you need.
I also packed little treats in random packages for my kids. Unpacking in not so horrible when treats are hidden. Ok, I packed little treats for my husband and I too. You need a new apron in a new house,etc.
Call me crazy, but I also think it is easier in a way for kids to move in the middle of the year. New kids can become local celebrities.
Where in Tx will you be landing?

McVal said...

How exciting for you! Good luck with the packing!

Jess said...

Having moved a LOT (especially in the past year), here are a few things...
First pack either a suitcase or a big box for each person. Do this when you think you can make the box of clothes work for however long you need to (as in don't pack it in summer and expect them to last you into winter). I did this and I was SOOO grateful. I didn't have to dig through box after box to find another part of an outfit. I used a see-through big rubbermaid container so I definitely woudl be able to keep track of it.

next, go room by room, religiously. I didn't do this last time and now I regret it. If you do this, you'll know exactly how much work you have left. You'll know that rooms a, b, and c are DONE, rather than kinda sorta packed. Plus, it's easy to label when you only have stuff from one room. Make extra sure you put labels on the boxes that contain IMPORTANT stuff, and put that label on both ends.

I say pack up the kitchen about 1.5-2 weeks out. It's the most difficult space to clean, so you want to allow yourself that time. Like the box of clothes, you can make yourself a necessity box (utensils, a mixing bowl, cookie sheet, cassarole dish, spatula, maybe a pot or pan or two), so that way you have it to live off with when you first move.

I like trying to get as many of my boxes uniform as possible. That's just because they stack. I also like boxes with handles, but that's just because when I'm TIRED it's easier to grab something with a darn handle in the side. These arent' necessities, but awfully nice. Copy stores, legal reproduction places, and law firms have NICE boxes, but you may not get any. Moving companies have boxes, but they can be pricey. Storage units have boxes, but they can be pricey too.

Worst comes to worst, and this may sound silly, but walmart has boxes. I've gone there between midnight and 2am, and the store is STREWN with collapsed boxes and packing materials. That's when they do their stocking. While you may or may not like walmart, at least you'd be re-using boxes (green!), and, well, they're free.

Finally, saran wrap is your friend. wrap it on mirrors and glass before putting padding on it. Wrap it around items you don't want to get dirty. Or items you don't want dinged. The uses are endless.

Feel free to ask me about moving!

PS: Love your blog!

Flat Creek Farm said...

Big changes ahead! Our son moved to Texas (Lewisville) a few years ago (from Central MO), and we helped him move back to MO last year. We had a fun time actually. A caravan of two cars and my hubby drove the U-haul. We had pets aboard our personal vehicles. the best thing we did? Walkie talkies. Of course we had cell phones too, but the walkie talkies were the absolute most fun. Best wishes to you!! -Tammy

Hildie said...

Make sure you tell your kids that Texas is not full of cowboys and people riding horses. I assumed my kids wouldn't think that, but I was wrong! They had no idea we would be living in a normal house in a normal neighborhood and so would everybody else.

Also, people in Texas pronounce everything differently. You can't help but sound like an outsider. Like KMR who posted first. Her town, Boerne, is pronounced "Burney". Lots of stuff like that.

Dina said...

Hi! I love your blog!! So much inspiration!!

Well, I have lived in Texas my whole life, so all my moving has been in State. I have lived in El Paso, Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth (here for the last 20+ years). What part of Texas will you be in? It is a great state, each area is different and unique (even between Dallas and Fort Worth). At least you are used to the heat already, although some parts of Texas are pretty humid!

I don't have any tips about moving, but if you have questions about "Texas" I can try to help. :)

Best of luck to you and your family!

Jessica said...

Congrats on the promotion! That's exciting. I hope all goes well with the packing and moving. I have never moved more than 50 miles away so I have no tips for you. Sorry!

Jared and Delia said...

I read your blog all the time but never comment. Unless the company is moving you, I recommened Penske for a do it yourself moving truck.

Good luck!

Jessie Jane said...

Welcome to Texas!! You'll love it here.

My tip is to go to Canton, TX for the first Monday flea market every month! You will find ANYTHING and EVERYTHING there!

MegRich said...

You're moving!?!?! Wow! Congrats on the promotion, but sad for us. Best of luck getting things packed up!

Anonymous said...

Welcome to TEXAS baby! You may not be native but you got here as fast as you could! (yes I know you're not here yet) ;0)

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

That's big news!! I'll be praying for you and your family as you make this transition.

I've moved out of country. Does that count? Definatly make sure to start packing now. Don't put it off. Eee gads did I learn the hard way. Remember to change your name and address on subscriptions, mailings, bank accounts, credit cards and such.

LunaMoonbeam said...

Oooh...yea for Promotions!!!

tips for moving - the car was definitely our BIGGEST headache. Making sure the car was licensed and registered and I was licensed and registered and we had tabs and...ugh.

Good luck!
(Oh, and a week after we got everything squared away with the car....Lo Gung was in an accident and totalled it. LOL. He was fine, but it was time to start all over again with a new car!)

Julie said...

Last time we moved I would box up a box and put a number on it, then I had a notebook that i would write down what was in it. that helped a lot with early packing!!! If it belonged in a certain room I added that too.
good luck, i've never moved that far before!

Candice said...

Oh my goodness! I never thought that you would leave this state! I am so shocked and excited for you- what a fun adventure you will have!

Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage said...

I've moved across country twice. My advice is to think of it as an exciting adventure. Good luck to you and your family. I hope you love it in Texas!

Unknown said...

Wow! Texas! Don't worry, I've moved lots . . . so much I don't know what to say when people ask me where I'm from, and I've ended up loving every place I've been(except West Virginia, but I was a teenager so I wouldn't have liked it anywhere!). Here's my advice: however much you think it's going to cost to move, it will cost more, and it is worth every extra cent for anything that makes moving easier and more convenient. Good luck!

L a u r a said...

A pre-welcome to TX! Are you letting us know what part of this big state you'll be parking?

Janell said...

I moved to Austin earlier this year from UT/TN/PA, and I love it!

Kellie Larsen said...

SHUT UP! guess where we are moving...yep Texas! doing the same thing untill after I have my baby (hopefully during Cmas break :) Where in TX u going to? maybe we can be neighboors :)

Unknown said...

Crazy!! But congrats on the promo! My J says he is going to miss D and they want to be pen pals. I guess they talked about it with eachother in primary this week. What a fun way to keep in touch. =0) Good luck with everything and holla if you need any help at all!! Seriously!

Tricia said...

Hi Lorie,
How exciting! We moved 10 hrs. away for a job a few years ago, and then moved back this way 8 months later.(When said job was awful!!) I will say this: much less "stuff" came back with us the second time. Suddenly stuff wasn't so important when you were moving it 600 miles for the second time in a year. lol.
I agree with Amy, btw. Our move was great for my husband as I as far as our relationship goes. Being far away from family makes you rely on each other alone. It can also make you thankful for those friends you can vent to on the phone. Tee hee.
I can't wait to see how it all unfolds for you. My plan has always been to simply focus on one area at a time. One room, one corner, etc... Don't move on 'til it's done. Then I could see some progress.
Yay to a good job, btw!
Best of luck to your family on this new adventure.

XO*Tricia

Renee said...

Congratulations to you and your talented hubby!!!

I've moved a trillion times and my advice is to be organized and pack up as much as possible well ahead of time. Oh, and purge! That's the only thing I like about moving is it gives you the opportunity to get rid of a lot of unecessary clutter.

I've never lived in Texas, but to me, the south in general is just lovely! Lots of good deals at flea markets and tag sales!!!

The best of luck to you!

ps. I just posted a tutorial for custom window shades on my blog I saw on tv... you might be interested here in a few months, right?

Wendy said...

Texas is a fabulous place to live. I live in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Tons of stuff to do and if you are close enough I vote for Canton on the 1st Monday of the Month. They have everything you never knew you needed.

Jen said...

You'll love it. I've moved from OK to Iowa then back to OK in the last 3 years and my best advice is 1) Hire a moving company (if its a paid relocation by the company even better!)
2)Reduce reduce reduce. Have a garage sale, take things to Goodwill, etc.
3)Stage your home appropriately.
4)Enlist the help of family and friends
5)Don't pack your important documents like birth certificates, taxes, health records, etc. Carry them with you...you'll never know when you might have access to your boxes again if they are on a moving truck!

Tauni said...

Wow. What a big move! I don't have any amazing advice, but wanted to wish you good luck!

kzerangue said...

I moved to Texas 7 years ago and love it. If you are moving around the Houston/Austin area. You should visit Round Top Antique Festival in October and April. You'll be able to find windows, doors, and a lot of other fun stuff.

Unknown said...

I'm in Houston! You will love Texas!

The K Family said...

Good luck Lorie! I thik you'll like Texas. My hubby used to live there and he liked it.....for a while. :) You're a busy mom though, so I think you are going to find plenty of things to do there. Congrats on your hubby's promotion.

Dina said...

I am outside of Dallas - welcome!!

Unknown said...

Good luck on your move. And congrats to hubby on the promotion. I don't think I've posted before but I absolutely love your blog!

Crafty Christina said...

I'm moving about 20 miles away for the first time this weekend. Scary stuff since I've lived in the same city all my life. I don't have much advice, except to make a list of what you need to do. My list has been a lifeline for me.

GOod luck with the move!

rebecca @ older and wisor said...

YIPEE-come on down! Our family has moved to different 3 states in the past 4 years....my advice? This too shall pass ;) We've been in the DFW area for a year and a half and are staying PUT! We visited here before moving and fell in love. Happy to report that the love affair continues!

Texas is the only place that when people talk about living EVERYBODY we've ever talked to loves it....how many states can claim that? (Not Utah HAHA)

Anonymous said...

Wow! Kudos to your hubby on the promotion and best of luck on your move!

We moved half way across the country back in '92, but that was before kids, so it was easy. And it was so long ago I don't remember how we did it. The USPS used to have a helpful brochure of hint and tips on how to make your move go smoothly, but I don't know if they have that anymore.

Well, they have something online anyway:
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2006/html/pb22181/pb4a-p_005.html

Miss G said...

I live in Texas and have my whole life except college. The very first thing I thought of to tell you has already been said by a couple people but Canton, TX trade days are a must! You will be able to find old windows and doors. Especially if you look in the outside areas. It's huge and you can never see it all.

I don't know what area you'll end up in as there is a whole lot of state here :) but there are lots of great things in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth. If you care to e-mail and give a more general area where you'll be, I can possibly tell you more tidbits about that area.

Also, as far as moving, last time I moved I did something I'd never done with clothes before and it was the easiest thing to me. Depending on if you're getting movers, doing it yourself, etc. it may or may not be best for you. I used clear packing tape to tape a handful of hangars with the clothes on them together as they were still hanging in my closet. Then I would lay down a sheet and put a handful of clothes plus hangars down, another handful lying on top of those with the hangars on the opposite end (feet to head) and then finally a third stack the original direction again. Then I just wrapped the sheet around the whole thing and did another section of closet. It worked really well for me. Kelly

The Morgan Family said...

I'm a follower of your blog AND a native Texas (Dallas)! Texas would love to have you move here!

MJ @ 517 Creations said...

You'll LOVE Texas! We live in Austin, and have lived in Fort Worth, too. I am a Virginia native, and wasn't too excited about moving to the "Republic of Texas" when I got married, but I have definitely grown to love it. The people are great and the weather is even better! :)

Karen said...

Ironically, I have just moved FROM Texas to another state. I was a native. The best advice--learn to say ya'll. It really is a nice, calming, welcoming word. I still say it in my new world.

And yes, Canton and Round Top are a must. Lots of great antiques in Texas. My old window was only $10.00.

Lynn said...

I want to know where in Texas! It's a big state and I have family there, in Plano and New Braunfels.
Can you leave a comment on my blog and tell me where?
Lynn

Wendy said...

Two words: Moving company.

Amie said...

Wow! I guess now we'll never meet!!! Good luck and how exciting!

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

I am in Texas and we are so excited to be getting you!!! Where??

Merry Mack said...

Welcome to Texas! I am a native. We are proud of our state, so get ready. Best wishes to you and your family on this move. People pronounce things different here because many of those town with funny names are named after the native German and Czech families that started communities across this large state. And... we are southerners so it comes with the territory. You actually can tell what part of Texas someone is from based on their accent.

I hope you enjoy your journey!

janadec9 said...

So glad you're moving to Texas--maybe we'll be neighbors--I live in central TX. You'll love it here! I haven't figured out how to "follow" your blog yet, but I have it saved and read it everyday!

Katie said...

BIG news! Congratulations on the promotion!

There are few things in life that I enjoy LESS than moving, and our move is within town. Best of luck! And I imagine Grandma needs a good luck to, as she is probably wondering what she will ever do without those babies close!

Ashlee Marie said...

Congrats! I've moved 32 times (and I'm only 31) with number 33 planned for this next summer! I hope it went well. We've never had a company move us but I DREAM about that someday! We just left TX and we MISS it. My children still talk about it all the time, you'll be just fine. I just discovered your blog and love it. thanks for the great ideas, links, and crafts!