Mi casa, su casa

I'm finally unpacked enough that I can share some pics of our new house. I know you've been begging for them, so just this once, I'll indulge you.

Here is the kitchen (and due to the lovely color on the sunroom wall, there is a green tint coming in that makes everything have a kermit-like hue in this picture. It really is much less green-like). If you will notice the lovely mauve countertops are still with us. Husband has promised me they will be gone within two weeks. I believe him. Because he lives with me and knows how mean I can be when I don't get my way. Or when I have to spend any amount of time looking at anything resembling pepto bismol. We've picked out a lovely brown/tan/black speckled granite that will hopefully look really good.

Here is the dining room. The painter is coming next week to overhaul most of the house. This room will be one of those redone. Notice the cool inlay that we had the floor guys put in. We had them do hardwood around the perimeter of the room, and a carpet inlay in the middle. I really love it (we also did this in the family room).

Here is the family room. The huge white patches on the wall are the shadow left behind when Husband removed some hideously ugly built-ins that the previous owners had. I'm also going to have the mantle of the fireplace painted white.

Here is the sunroom off the kitchen/great room. Ignore the large pile of boxes in the corner. I am.

Here is the view from my kitchen window. Boy, I love the sight of these lush, thick trees. The kids have spent hours in the backyard running barefoot, eating popsicles, playing catch, and chasing squirrels. It is such a nice change of pace from the 10x10 patio square we called a backyard in San Diego.

And here is the formal living room. I spared you the lovely sight of the stenciled teddy bears and pine trees near the ceiling. I wanted to keep them, really, I did. But they just didn't go with my entire personality. So they'll be suffocating slowly under a nice coat of paint sometime next week.

So there you have it - a mini tour of Casa de Christie. We're really excited about it. Kind of nice to have a place to lay our head that is not either falling apart or bursting at the seams. Now that most of the unpacking is done, we are free to relax and enjoy our nation's independence in traditional American fashion - loads of fried chicken and watching explosions in the sky. Happy 4th, ya'll (see, I'm picking up the local lingo already!).

Favorite Things Swap

I finally got to the post office to pick up my package for the Favorite Things Swap. My partner, Beth, really sent some adorable, fun things. First off, love the headband from Anthropologie. Just so cool. And she is a very chic crafter with her ABC magnets and the great block (all of which will decorate my new scrapbook room). I can't wait. And she rounded out her favs with some yummy bread dip, some stickers, and pampering for a tired mama. I just love it. Thanks, partner. It was so great to get to know you. You are a doll.

Home, where my music's playing...home

We are here safe and sound (although my ragged, cracked hands would probably beg to differ). I am bone-tired and still keep finding things to unpack. I swear these boxes have to be mating. My mission tomorrow is to take a few shots of the house and get them posted - we'll see if I can find the time.

A few highlights of the move so far include:

• Arriving to find the floor all done and being just giddy over how well it turned out.
• Sighing with dismay at the layer of fine dust all over everything in the house (oh, the joys of remodeling).
• Spending my first night in the new house on the floor - sharing a blanket with a very adorable, very loud, snoring princess.
• Having to scoop a number-two (Hannah's) out of the main floor powder room and rush it to a working toilet (we have to get a plumber in to reinstall the toilet that the floor guys removed. They take it off, but don't put it back. Nice, huh?)
• Calling Josh about every eight minutes to see how much longer until he gets here.
• Unpacking 5,069,874 boxes and still not being done.
• Not seeing my children for hours because they are too busy recreating Lord of the Flies in the backyard.
• Having a schizophrenic dial tone. Sometimes we have one; sometimes we don't.
• Waiting hours as the genius Direct TV installer man attempts to make my t.v. work.
• Watching helplessly as said genius Direct TV installer man leaves without finishing the job.
• Calling Direct TV installers and be given yet another four-hour window in which to wait for a genius installer man to finish what earlier genius installer man did not.
• Waiting all day for the new bar stools and kitchen table to be delivered.
• Finally getting them and then grumbling because they are too tall for the bar.
• Not figuring this out until after the delivery truck has sped away.
• Having cupboards in my kitchen that are actually empty (because I finally have enough cupboard space!) as opposed to being crammed to capacity.
• Meeting the new neighbors with Chase's mohawk still rockin'. Klassy, no? It is gone tomorrow, I swear.

All in all, it's good to be home. Here in our home. It just makes me so happy.

Oh! And DCR Mom at Musings of a Housewife, nominated me for a little bloggy award while I was gone. I am flattered and thrilled to be a part! You really ought to pop over to her blog if you don't know her already. She's a keeper. Thanks, friend!

So long, farewell...

Well, the truck is packed. The house will be cleaned tomorrow (not by me, hee hee). The kids are chomping at the bit to get out of Dodge. I am exhausted. Looks like we made it. See you when we get to St. Louis!

P.S. The mohawk still lives on. I have decreed that it will disappear before we go to church for the first time (nothing like a white-trash first impression). He is rockin' it though.

What happens when the husband takes your son for a haircut

Before:

After:

And so it begins...

This may be my last post here in sunny CA...I realized that these boxes won't pack themselves (unfortunate, I know). So long, San Diego. It's been a great year. One we'll never forget. In the words of Andre Gide:

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

We're quite literally leaving the shore in search of our own new oceans. Can't wait. Come meet me in St. Louis!