Things haven't slowed down since we started unpacking boxes last week.  Raleigh got hit with another huge storm last Thursday that brought 80 mph winds with it this time.  Within a matter of minutes the storm blew through our backyard taking a tree top with it.  A few drops of rain followed and then it was over, just as quickly as it had come.

We remain thankful that it only hit our shed and not our house (and that the animals were safe).  Our neighbor's kindness has also continued with allowing us to borrow an electric saw that helped Dan clear the backyard in under 30 minutes with a project that could have otherwise taken all day.  So with the exception of a hole in the roof and a missing front door to the shed, the backyard is now back to normal and our fingers are crossed this isn't foreshadowing of the weather to come once hurricane season is here.

On another note, I am excited to announce that I found a fantastic job opportunity for the summer!  I will be working for a non profit organization called The Arc.  The position title is Job Coach and it is a division of the Supported Employment Experience that they offer to high school students with special needs who require vocational support and training.  I met my two "interns" last night and look forward to starting work with them on Monday at the Whole Foods down the street.

The master bedroom painting project is now complete!  It only took two more trips to Home Depot to get enough paint to touch up the Marina Isle wall and cover the remaining dark brown walls in Havana Cream.  Once again, priming is to be taken seriously from here on out.  I'm digging the feel it gives the room, but ask me if I think it feels Bavarian and I'd have to candidly say not a chance.

With the pulley light up and in working order, we just need to get the headboard back on the wall to call it complete!

     

We are officially here!  Dan navigated the moving truck (and I, his truck) on Saturday to bring the rest of our "stuff" into its new home in Raleigh.

It took a few days but almost all of the boxes are unpacked and items are starting to belong to their respective spaces.  Admittedly, it still looks like a flea market in here though.  I've started coming to shop The Mantle for knickknacks and treasures now that we have rooms set up, waiting to be adorned.  And it hasn't taken us long to realize that we need to lay off the knickknack buying for a while-  I mean how many jugs and colored glass bottles does one household really need??

(That's not all of them by a longshot)

The backyard remains a favorite spot for our furry friends, both utilizing it the way they see fit... 

So having been here almost two weeks now, I will share with you what we have learned:

For good, upscale Mexican that's easy on the wallet go to Gonza's.

Chuck's is great for a gourmet burger and fries that come with their own menu of dipping sauces.  

After an extensive comparison, we recommend grocery shopping at Harris Teeter.

When tropical storms hit, bring your white water rafting gear- our backyard turns into Class 4 rapids.

You'll also need your mosquito repellent, it's a whole different ballgame up here.  

And be sure to know your favorite college basketball team (Duke, NC State, or UNC) as you will inevitably get asked upon meeting most anyone.

I've been trying not to use the word bored (which can prove difficult after a week in an empty house and a Tropical Storm in your midst).  I have a friend on Facebook who not only tells her kids that "bored" is a dirty word but also says that "to admit you're bored means that you are not smart enough to figure out what to do with your time."  Well, today I was so smart I decided I could do a last minute master bedroom paint job ALL BY MYSELF.  Originally we thought we would paint the bedroom in addition to the kitchen at the beginning of this transitional week, but I just couldn't figure out what color I wanted it to be.  I was having major painters-block when I stumbled upon some inspiration yesterday while killing time on the computer.  I found this color combo inspired by the Bavarian region in Germany (so says the website) and I thought it had such an interesting mix of colors, many that we will be bringing with us from existing throw pillows and accents that I immediately decided I wanted a "duck egg" accent wall and "earthy pink" on the other walls... 

Yellow ochre + soft browns + earthy pink + warm grey + duck egg + roof tile redWith Bavaria on the brain, I went to Home Depot and stewed in front of the paint samples for a while, deciding that I liked "Marina Isle" and "Havana Cream".

 

Back home and ready to get started I went to work on the Marina Isle accent wall.  It didn't take me too long, thanks to the brilliant invention of the edger and I thought I was on a roll.  That was until I moved over to try and cover the existing dark brown walls with my light Havana Cream.  This is why people prime.  Two coats it is!  So I made it a little less than half way around the room with two coats of dreamy Havana Cream swearing I will never paint another wall again without the help of a loving and devoted husband by my side.  There is a work in progress "before and after" to show you (the Marina Isle is photographing much bluer than it looks in real life).  

Here's to hoping I can finagle Dan into helping me finish this mess I've gotten myself into and that our bedroom is transformed into a Bavarian bungalow in no time!

My feelings have changed for the cute little bunnies bouncing around our yard- LOOK what they did to my lilies...

Next stop, Home Depot, to get these flower-eaters outta here!!

It hasn't taken Abbey long to form a routine here in Raleigh.  She remains obsessed with the backyard and has trained me to start playing fetch with her immediately after I pour my first cup of coffee.  So our morning looks something like this-

Fortunately, I've trained her to bring the ball back onto the deck so I can leisurely sit with my iPad and coffee while she does all the work.

The projects have slowed down a bit as we realize there is not much left to do but anticipate the reality of another move this weekend.  But I have been able to organize our catch-all closet in the hallway thanks to my sweet husband who appeased me and installed hooks and racks for all of our miscellaneous but necessary (of course!) items.  When else would I have time to neatly hang all of our aprons, sort our coolers, picnic blankets, and reusable bags, and mount our awkward cleaning equipment??

Other areas of the house, however, have not received such meticulous attention...

When I remarked to Dan last night that our fireplace looked like a flea market he responded with "One that we'd like to go to!"  Yes... I suppose he's right.  A humorous way to look at it when there's nothing we can do about it (yet).

Now I'm off to prune the rosebushes-  gotta stay busy somehow!  

I'm happy to say that part one of our two-part relocation is complete!  Somehow I made the six hour drive with Mickey in tow last Thursday albeit questionable at times.  His meows started as I turned out of the neighborhood just after 5am.  After having been on the road for about twenty minutes, his white and gray paws rapidly emerged from the side zipper of his carrying bag.  He quickly pulled the zipper further and jumped to the passenger seat.  If he'd chosen to sit quietly in my lap for the drive I would have let him.  But he chose to climb around, checking the view from any window he could reach.  I had no choice but to make a pit stop-  so there I was in the parking lot of a QT shoving my cat back into his carrying bag, hair flying everywhere.  Eventually I caught back up with Dan and the trailer but the meows didn't die down until after crossing into South Carolina.  Even then, it was short lived.  I did discover his taste in music as he quieted down when the Black Keys played on my iPod but went to town when the Allman Brothers came on.  Once in North Carolina, it seemed like he had finally settled down although I don't know if it was because he exhausted himself trying to break free again, damaged his vocal cords from the incessantly painful meows, or if the radio just got progressively louder as the morning wore on.  Either way, we made it and I'm not sure who was more excited to get out of the car.

The last few days have been busy cleaning, painting, unpacking, and organizing what we can.  The kitchen got a coat of Safari Vest and I am really loving the way it turned out-  cannot wait to get my white plates on the wall and our copper pieces scattered throughout.

                                            Before                                            After

Mickey has successfully transitioned to being an indoor/outdoor cat (his dream come true!).  He has a kitty door to our shed and can lounge in the sun chasing bugs as he pleases.  Abbey is also in love with her new backyard, begging to go out constantly.  Lucky for both of them-  Dan and I have been waiting for an outdoor space like this for a long time ourselves!

We've met some neighbors who have welcomed us with sweet treats as well as a new ball for Abbey (brought by the little boy next door who says he LOVES dogs) and spotted two bunnies who reside under our front porch.  

This morning after Abbey and I took a walk around the neighborhood, I snapped some pictures of the beautiful flowers growing throughout our front and backyard.  Now to figure out how to take care of them and keep up this beautiful landscaping...

While it seems like we have been camping out since we got here sleeping on a mattress on the floor and figuring out how to cook with no pots and pans (how did we end up with no pots and pans with the amount of boxes we brought labeled "kitchen"?!), it already feels like home:)