News Flash: We Moved

I am THRILLED to announce we MOVED! And, it is only fitting that I announce it here as my blog has seen Ben and I go from RV living to Apartment living to now a little home! So, we moved and it all took place a week ago, actually. It all started when we realized that with two dogs, Ben and I...we had no room for Baby A. Thanks to Ben's incredible ability to make things happen, the move took place quickly.

 

Milo & Miko

Ben and me.

This move has brought a lot of anticipation. And, boy, oh, boy, am I excited! Because you KNOW what that means?!?!?! Let the DECORATING BEGIN! *happy sigh*  We moved into this adorable space:

I have already made so many plans...allow me the SHEER pleasure to explain what is up my sleeve. Let's start with the stairwell. Because my art collection has grown (quickly), the amount of windows in the living room and dining room will limit where I put things. Or so I thought until I saw this post by Young House Love:


For the laundry room, I'm drooling over this:

To get this beauty: go here.

I am planning to make my own shower curtain using this AWESOME fabric -

Ikea: ANNAMOA Fabric

There are a couple of things I want to finish before I give you the grand tour - but that will be coming! So, stay tuned.

My New Perspecive On Cold Weather.

This week, cold weather hit GA. Well, at least in my book it did. The temperatures have not gone above 65 degrees, which means this southern girl is FREEZING.  This year, it is different for me.

I'm still cold. Do not mistake that. But every time I get cold, I think about when we lived in the RV. And, though I'm cold, I have a different perspective.

I'm not freezing.

The air inside my home does not match the (cold) air outside. I am not crawling into bed with freezing sheets unable to get warm. I am not stressed out that my water will diminish WHILE I'm in the shower.  I am not worried about my shampoo freezing. I have not even created a worried brow when I think about the heat STOPPING. (In fact, I think we may still have the A/C on!) I throw the covers off in the middle of the night more than I tuck them around me. I walk around with bare feet instead of covered with socks and house shoes.

I don't miss living in the RV. But, I am so thankful for the perspective it provided.

Home

I've been completely and totally captivated with this picture.

Vol. 25 Artwork

I love this so much. Mostly because it reminds me of our humble little beginnings...and how TRUE it is that home really is wherever we are together.

PS - Please tell me I'm not the only one who is assembling their Christmas wish-list?!?!?!

You had me at "Hello".

Do you ever read a blog that oozes with raw honesty? So much so that it makes you cringe just a little because you can't imagine being that honest?

Well, Internet, prepare yourself. If you haven't read one before now, you are about to.

Today, marks a new chapter in my life. In our life - mine and Ben's. Today, we officially moved out of the RV. Not into the cabin, but into an Apartment. Suffice it to say: it is a good thing.

I, for one, am exceedingly relieved. Living in the RV has been difficult for me. Yes, humbling, too. In fact, I've hated living in the RV. I started this blog as a way to cherish this chapter - the uniqueness, the ability to laugh at this one-of-a-kind, this-only-happens-to-you (that would be me), movie moment. I started this blog as a way to laugh at the beauty of this season; so that when the time came to look back, I'd remember funny, laughable moments NOW.

It worked. I laughed. Ben laughed. And, hopefully, Internet, you laughed too.

Today, marks the end of my RV livin'. But the good news: it does NOT mark the end of my bloggin'. So, good-bye - turning on the water pump, RV toilet paper, frozen shampoo, and so many other things. Hello, chapter 2 of the newlywed life: spacious walls, a REAL tub, regular Charmin EXTRA SOFT toilet paper, and a HUGE water heater.

I know its the little things; but oh, dear luxurious Apartment, I love you already.

Bathroom Buddies

My mom had bathroom buddies. They were her children. We were always running in and out to ask her a dozen questions or just to find out where she was. It's a little embarrassing to admit, but we were her bathroom buddies.

I have bathroom buddies too. I'm the reader. You know, the person who flips through the magazine rack in the bathroom or sneaks the novel in while doing business. That's me.

Recently, I've given up that habit, because I had some uninvited, unwelcomed visitors show up. At first,  I didn't notice their yellow bodies. They stayed in the corners doing their thing. And, I stayed, uh, well, I did my thing.

But that changed. Those uninvited, unwelcomed visitors made their presence a little more well known. You may be trying to figure out which bug I'm ellusively speaking of. Give up. I'm not talking about a bug. I'm talking about the mop and the broom.

See source

Yes, I know that most mops and brooms are kept in the laundry room or pantry or cleaning closet. But, you forget, I live in an RV. The mop and broom are large, awkward (but essential) cleaning utensils. And, the toilet-closet we have is (literally) the largest space for them to be stored.

So, everytime I'm, uh, doing my business, I feel the mop and broom heads staring at me from their place on the floor. Their long, sleek and yellowed necks are completely distracting. I don't feel comfortable toting my Real Simple Magazine with me when those two are staring at me. Instead of the olden days of hybernating while I, uh, do my business, I now RACE to get out of that closet AS.FAST.AS.POSSIBLE.

Perhaps, that was TMI (too much information). But. Doesn't everyone have bathroom buddies??

(Come on, admit it!)

Operation Spruce Up

I gazed at the computer screen with wonder and awe. The image on the screen sparked inspiration for me.

 Several weeks ago, Ben and I - with much enthusaism - saw the RV as our little "Extreme Makeover Home Edition". We had great plans of removing or updating the RV installed GOLD lamps, updating all the hardware on the drawers, etc...Those dreams quickly faded. Reality set in for us. Fast. When you know a home is temporary, it makes you lose motivation of putting a little grunt work into remodeling.

Enter Apartment Therapy. I love this website. It showcases beautifully decorated homes all over the USA (except Atlanta!) that are APARTMENT size.

This past week, I stumbled across this little gem: The Janessen Family's Roving Abode. This is about a family that LIVES in an RV. I wanted to become their best friend. Right.Away.

I began to salivate over the green walls, and funky decorations littered across the kitchen. I kept thinking, THIS IS AN RV?!? I want to move in. Oh, wait. I DO live in a RV.

So, we have begun Project RV Spruce-Up. This is where I give Ben drill/paint/etc and I inspect the RV for any drabby areas that need a little encouragement.

First on the list: hang up all the frames and wall art that I've neglecting.

Second on the list: Return to RV inspection.

It will be a work-in-progress, for sure. But, dontcha have to start somewhere?

This is How We Clean

Ben is OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). He is always scurrying around the RV cleaning.

This is not something I dislike in him, I'm all like, PRAISE THE LORD! MY MAN LOVES ALL THINGS CLEANERS AND SPONGES AND MOPS GALORE!

(if I were to be honest, I love it because it means I don't have to do it...But, Internet, you didn't hear that from me, so...shush!)

The other day, Ben decided to a good thorough house-clean. Like a good wife, I decided to join him. 15 minutes later, we were finished. We had folded laundry, washed dishes, vacuumed, cleaned out the refrigerator, cleaned the bathroom, mopped...we did every single ONE of our household chores. Did I mention in 15 minutes?

Once those minutes rapidly concluded our cleaning extravaganza, I realized: I'm going to miss the day we don't live in the RV. I mean, where else can you do THAT much work in 15 minutes? Standing right in the middle of it, I got all nostalgic for the RV. We are NO where CLOSE to moving out of it, but I know there will come a day when it takes me (*cough* Ben) 15 minutes just to vacuum.

That moment of realization almost caused me to shed a tear for the love of the RV. Emphasis on the word - "almost". In the meantime, I am definitely okay if you are jealous. Emphasis on the words "definitely" and "jealous".

Water in the RV

There are moments when I forget I'm living in an RV. I'm sure that statement seems silly to you, but I've established this place as my little home...so there are those moments of forgetfulness.

Until 3am.

Allow me to explain.

In order to use the water, you have to turn on the pump. I'm sure you were all imagining this:

(Nah...I'm a lil' more high-tech than that!)

(Do you see the red light? That is the switch for the pump)

It seems simple enough, until you have to use it ALL THE TIME. Want to wash dishes? Turn on the pump. Need to wet a rag because you spilt milk? Turn on the pump. Shower (after the gym)? Turn on the pump. See? It gets a little complicated. For the most part, I feel I have adjusted rather well. Little turn of the switch and -PRESTO! - I've got water.

The only time it becomes an issue is at 3am. You know, the 3am potty run? It is hard enough to have your bladder wake you up in the middle of the night, stumble out of bed, use the restroom..AND THEN have to remember: Did I turn on the pump?!

Inevitably, it is at 3am that I remember I live in a RV. And, that just like those pioneer women of old, I have to use a pump to go to the restroom.

The Grand Tour

I was completely absorbed in my magazine when Ben casually says, "Aren't you going to give the grand tour?" It took me a minute to come out of my Southern Living realm, only to realize: Of course!

It has definitely been a challenge to decorate such small spaces. But, thankfully, I came across Apartment Therapy which proved to me that it is not impossible to take small spaces and make them incredible! It also helped that I keep a running mental inspiration board just waiting to be implemented.

I am extremely excited to give you the grand tour of our humble RV abode.

The dining room

The bedroom.

The living room. Doesn't it look like the Crayola box threw up?! I love it.


My table display. Soon it will have flowers in each of the bottles.

The kitchen.

Well, there you go! I hope you enjoyed looking at our little home.

Why the RV?

This weekend marks our one-month anniversary of RV living.

I am sure I have an obese case of the hopeless romantic (something, I previously would have denied). There was a time when I dreamt of starting my life as a married women living in this beauty.

However, sometimes an opportunity is larger than a dream. Ben, my husband, works as a Residential Staff Member for a teenage substance abuse program. We are living in the RV while the on site cabin is built for us so that Ben can continue to invest in the young men.

Before the RV, I would have told you I was a low-maintenance rough-it-type of girl. I mean, I grew up camping! However, I was wrong. There have been quirky dilemmas such as lack of heat and frozen shampoo (who knew shampoo could FREEZE?!?!?). It has definitely made our newly-minted marriage cherish (previously) overlooked amenities. I'm not going to deny; the RV and I got off to a rocky start.

"Really? No HEAT?"

"Frozen SHAMPOO?!?"

In the meantime, Ben had become quite the handyman. While we were dating, he prefaced our marriage with "I'm not a handyman" comment. I beg to differ. The man is learning how to fix everything:

Me: "The stove doesn't work."

Him: "Okay, I'll figure it out"

Me: "The lights won't turn on."

Him: "I'll take care of it."

Yet, even as I watched Ben take care of problem after problem, I seriously thought the RV was out to get me. And, with this in mind, I started hating it in return.

But, after this first month, my perspective is changing. Things are settling down - we have heat, the stove works, the lights work and my frozen shampoo days are behind us.

Thankfully, because of some renovates that took place prior to our move-in, we have our own furniture. So, while my home may not look like that dreamy 1920 bungalow on the outside, it feels like home on the inside. Which has helped my sentiments towards the RV go from total despise to civility, and finally, to a slow-developing fondness. There is hope for me and the RV yet. :)

As soon as I figure out how to post pictures (the upload image option isn't working properly for me!!), I will give you a tour of our little home.