February Home scenes

We're official now! Our house didn't have its own mailbox yet, so Jim bought one at Lowe's and stuck it in at the bottom of the street/driveway. See our brown house up on top of that hill?

We have quickly learned that exploring this neighborhood means HILLS. Lots of "I'm using my muscles" talk these days, and "Come on, you can do it!" and "Let's sing Old MacDonald Had A Farm to make it easier to get up this hill." Here we are on one of our first walks, stopping for some snacks midway to keep our energy up, ha!

Our side yard has a nice flat area with a small fence around it, plus a sandbox that the previous people left behind. The weather is always good for digging, right?

The Super-Highway: another wonderfully perfect aspect of this house for two boys! This is the view from the living room to that side of the house, with the boys' two little bedrooms to the left; a bathroom on the right; the playroom at the end at the right; and the door leading to the side yard.
 

My 37th (gasp) birthday was on Feb 8, the first Monday after we moved in. Unfortunately in the midst of exhausting unpacking, we didn't do much to celebrate. Thankfully though Jim whipped up a delicious chocolate cake for teatime on Sunday, with a few presents!!! (Don't look too hard at the room; we've added and changed up the arrangement a bit and it is feeling more settled now.)

Timo was a very happy helper who put all the candles on by himself

Something about Timo's expression here makes me think of Granddad!

Random scene during our "not leaving the house the first 3 days of potty training" - the boys having a drumming session with chopsticks and laundry basket. (Timo in his underwear. This was three weeks ago, and he is doing pretty well with staying dry now.)

Arriving home (home?!)

Thursday, Feb 4 was the day our 'cubes' arrived from the moving company and we had the keys to our new (rental) house and were able to unload!! 

There were some agonizing hours leading up to the delivery, due to a snow day (higher up in the mountains, which prevented trucks from getting through) and the complicating factor of Sylva's narrow streets and the narrow, winding turns of our driveway. Where was the flatbed truck to park, and could the forklift make it up the steep turn to our driveway?? The driver from the moving company was balking at the delivery, until finally - nearly panicking - I had the brilliant idea to go into the Police station and ask for help. Within minutes of hearing the problem, they offered to mark off a parking spot on Main St across from the station, and stop the traffic so the forklift could unload the cubes and drive two blocks up to our driveway. On Thursday morning, an officer was there at the parking spot and another officer was positioned at the intersection to direct traffic. 

Now there's a welcome to Sylva!! We love our new small town!! The officer even gave Timo a little stuffed skunk ("Don't drink; you'll stink") as a present.

There goes the forklift turning up the street (with the library up on the hill) while traffic is stopped

Here comes the forklift, two blocks up from Main St, and pulling onto our street/driveway

Grandpa and Timo and I were there to watch, and ran up the street after the forklift to our garage. There is a little stream next to the road, so of course Timo stopped to throw in some rocks.

Entrance to Hooper St, a short paved road. Our house is just above at the top of the hill.

How appropriate, the sun has come out and it looks to be a beautiful day! Dad and I opened up the cubes and unloaded a bit, then had some lunch which Mom had packed. Shortly after, Mr Woody arrived to help, and he and Dad together unloaded the cubes into the house in less than 2 hours!

Can you guess what our favorite feature of the driveway/garage area is?

There's Dad watching the 2nd cube coming up the driveway - and a view to our neighbors.

Since Mom & Dad were in town, and Jim was working, we were able to sleep at the Woodys' for two more nights while we unpacked a bit and set up the beds. Finally, on Saturday, we gathered up the rest of our things and officially moved over to 126 Hooper St!

the "playroom" has great built-in shelving. The Legos were the first toys out!

view of the side yard from the street above

We could not have done this move/transition the past 5 weeks without the help and support of my amazing parents!!!!!