31 things we are excited about Texas

31 things I'm excited for Texas:

1. Internet that works!!!

2. Target! And maybe secretly Walmart.

3. Chain restaurants

4. Mexican food

5. Country radio stations

6. Closer to family

7. Cowboy boots!!

8. New cities to explore

9. Things open 24/7

10. Going camping

11. Geocaching

12. Speaking English 

13. Mail delivered quickly and to my door

14. Parking

15. Going fishing 

16. Signing Kyra up for classes

17. Free bathrooms

18. A backyard

19. Dirt road driving

20. Bluebells

21. Hunting

22. Pay at the pump

23. Paying with credit cards

24. Music videos!!! (No gema)

25. Decorating a new house

26. Rodeos

27. Sporting events

28. Texas BBQ

29. Swimming in lakes

30. Cheaper car insurance

31. New friends  

Prepping for the move: 40 days to go.

So it only took forever, but we finally got our stinking orders!! It was a real hassle to wait that long and somehow at least for me just having that silly piece or paper in my hand eliminated half the stress!! Now my list making can and has gone crazy.

I have a daily to do list made each night, moving things we didn't get done the day prior down on the list. And than writing Dustin his own to do list to take with him each day!! So much to get done in just 40 days but I like the idea of keeping busy.

Since we got orders Friday we have already accomplished so much!!

We have managed to get our plane tickets, and much to our surprise we land right in Killeen so that is awesome!! And we even got Shades spot reserved no problem!! 

We scheduled the drop off our car for the end of this week. The thought of not having the car for a while on both ends is a little stressful, but I know we will manage just fine.

We have an appointment with household goods and a tentative pack out date for next week!!

So lots going on and I am so glad to see things getting done!! By the time we get to our 30 day countdown we will be with out most of our personal possessions, have probably a couple rooms cleaned and ready for move out!! Time is flying, can't wait to get to Texas and start exploring!! 

Prepping for the move: 50 days to go

Guess what guess what guess what!!!!!

Did you guess?

Well if you guessed we finally got orders......

Your wrong. 

Ugh we only have 50 days now. I really wanted our stuff shipped 6 weeks out so we wouldn't end up getting to Texas and have to buy air mattresses and sheets and try to get everyone to sleep on them!! Sounds really not fun! But seeing as this coming week is 6 weeks out and we don't have orders guess that isn't happening. 

So again not much has happened in the last 10 days. Shade got her Rabies booster so she will be ready to fly.

And we have set up don't pack zones for things we are going to keep until the last week here and ship in UAB (unaccompanied baggage) a smaller shipment of stuff. Things like a pot, a couple pans, extra tv, some pillows, a few toys etc....just to make life live able until we leave. We have sorted out the things in the kitchen. Just gotta wait and see how much luggage we each get, and how many we can find to use than we can set up our clothes we don't want packed in Darren's room and be fully ready for the movers to come!!

With any luck this coming week will become the beginning of this journey. Dustin begins clearing post mid next month so it would be nice to have all the other appointments that have to do with the move out of the way before he has to do all that.

See you in 10 days hopefully with more to show for the time that has passed!!

Prepping for the move: 60 days to go!

Holy moly would you believe it another ten days has passed!! And wouldn't you know it, we are still orders less...jeez. We also didn't get to do the kids garage sale as it was canceled due to lack of interest. So now we have a pile of stuff to sell in the basement...hopefully this evening I'll get some time to run downstairs and organize for pictures and get some stuff gone. Gonna be very generous with prices just to see things go!!

So since there is literally nothing that can be done until we have orders I guess I will tell you about a couple fun ways we are counting down our last 60 days!! Everyday in April I will be doing a status a day about why I will miss Germany, a friend of mine did this when she was counting down and I liked it. And in May we will do the things we are excited about for moving to Texas. And I will post the full lists at the end of each months on the blog!!

Also trying to talk to Kyra and help her understand the move as much as possible since she has lived here her whole life!! Her and I made a countdown paper chain and starting tomorrow will remove a circle and talk about what is happening in just 60 days. As we get dates for movers and stuff that will be hard for her to understand we will count how many circles we have to take down until those dates too!!

Prepping for the move: 70 days to go!

When I set out writing this new section for the blog I really thought every 10 days would be a good time difference between each blog, but here we are 20 days since I started out and still no new news. We are watching the days until we have to be out of here fly past. and yet somehow NO progress is being made. I still have lots of lists made, waiting to be checked off. We have sold more things and are slowly getting rid of the excess so we don't have to drag it along.

In these 10 days coming I am hoping still to get orders. But we also need to get Shade to the Vet to make sure she is up to date on shot and ready to go as most shots need to be done at least 60 days out. Except the check up that has to be done within the 10 days before travel. This is all IF Dustin decides to let us keep her. She has been a lot of trouble lately including growling and biting Kyra. So we aren't sure what we are going to do as re-homing may not be all that easy.

Wish I had more to report in with and I am sure as soon as those orders come in we will be running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get everything done in a matter of a few weeks no doubt. Gotta love the Army.

Prepping for the move: 80 days to go!

Well those last ten days flew by. I hope the rest of the 80 go just as fast. After a photoshoot this weekend with friends who LOVE Ft Hood, I am even more excited for this move!! There is just so much to do there and I can wait to explore everything Texas has to offer!!

So what have we done to get ready for the move so far? Well Darren's Passport and Birth Abroad certificate so now he is officially able to leave the country now!! And we have our passports back too!! Wish we had time to plan one more trip to another country but the last 4 day that our car will be here for is starting tomorrow, a little late to plan a trip!

We also have gone and got lights for all the burnt out bulbs around the house, and a bucket of paint for touch up, which we plan to start working on this weekend.

But there is so so so much more that needs to get done before the move. We are at a stand still due to not having official orders yet, so we are at a point of infinite list making!! I have lists for everything going, everything selling, things that we need to do on post, and just about anything you can imagine. For some reason the lists manage to keep me sane. I can't wait to see the lists get checked off and the days counted down!! Slowly getting there, even starting today with a big drop off to recycle center of stuff we don't wanna take with us and aren't worth the effort of selling.

And the 21st we are going to be setting up a table at the post wide kids stuff sale. And getting rid of a bunch of baby clothes and things we don't need any longer!! So even if it feels like nothing is getting done we are moving forward, and the orders will be here before we know it and the real insanity of a pcs will begin.

Prepping for the move: 90 days to go

Can hardly believe we have that short of a countdown before yet another big overseas move. And this time we have three little creatures traveling with us!! Which will no doubt get even more complicated!! The scariest part about this is with only 90 days until we leave we only have like 58 of those as work days to get stuff done!!

If you know anything about the Army that is really not a lot considering how much we have to do before we can leave. And seeing as we don't have official orders with all 4 of us on them stating we are to report to Texas yet, it will no doubt come down to a rush in the end to get it all done!! Here's to hoping orders come soon. I will be writing these pcs blogs every couple weeks as we countdown to the big day.

Things we are working on right now? Getting Darren command sponsored, getting the pcs packet finished, getting all our dr appts up to date, downsizing stuff and selling what we can, and trying to help Kyra understand what is coming up by talking about Texas and moving!! I have no doubt time is going to fly past. Specially since our weekends go by in a breeze trying to see as many new places as we can before we can't see Europe anymore!!