It's time to move again! Our short one-year stay in Italy has been wonderful, but we are also looking forward to living in Antwerp. We are planning to move the last week of July, and we will be moving into our new home on August 3.
I don't know too much about Antwerp yet, but here's what I do know. They are known for diamonds, chocolate, waffles and beer, they still have a King and Queen (I told Hope it was kind of like Elsa and Anna from Disney's Frozen), and our house will have a big backyard for the kids! Have I gotten anyone excited for a visit? I hope to see many of you while we are in Antwerp!
Showing posts with label we're moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label we're moving. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Sunday, August 3, 2014
First Experiences in Milan
An update after the first 1.5 weeks in Milan...
I am sitting in a coffee bar as I type this. The internet at our temporary apartment is horrible. So Richard is watching the kids as sit here sipping my cappuccino and using the wifi. Thanks Richard! After 1.5 weeks in Milan, I want to give an update on how we are and what we think of Milan so far.
Flight and arrival:
We took a night flight here and flew business class, courtesy of the company. It was my first time, and I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Gabriel and I sat next to each other and played with the buttons for the first half hour. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone sitting near us, as we made our chairs go up and down all the way and opened all the compartments.
We flew on Lufthansa and they were so nice to the kids. Each kid got an age-appropriate toy to entertain them. However, it wasn't long before we all settled down to sleep for the remainder of the flight. Hope had her own seat, but she ended up snuggling up with daddy. So cute.
Temporary apartment:
Our temporary place is near the center of the city and we often walk to the metro to get places. We ended up getting an unlimited pass for August. This gives us access to the metro and all trams. Tram #19 drops you off right in front of our place.
Here I am with Gabriel upon arrival as we wait to meet our landlord. The location is decent, but we continue to struggle with internet access as well as a leak under the kitchen sink. Hopefully those get fixed quickly.
Coffee:
Bars are popular here. But they're not like American bars. Here, there are coffee bars everywhere, and Italians love to get an espresso and relax mid-day or after work. Our apartment came with this coffee maker called a Moka pot. The landlord laughed when I asked him how to use it. You put water in the bottom half, and a metal filter sits in it which holds the coffee. Place it on the stove, and the water boils up through the coffee and into the top part. Pretty neat! I bought American coffee originally, but after getting some flack from friends, I plan to try the Italian grinds next.
Fashion:
Women here seem to rarely wear pants/shorts. It's much more common for women to wear skirts/dresses. When they do wear pants, the pajama pants are really popular right now. I noticed them slowly coming into style in America, but here it's very common. They look something like this.
And the shoes..... Oh the shoes! They do have good taste in shoes here,
but most of the shops sell them for around €100 minimum! That's about
$135! I'm hoping I can find some more reasonably priced stores.
Children:
I get looks and questions often from people surprised to see I have more than one child, and they all seem to think I'm so young too. I can see why people living in the city would want to only have one child. It's difficult to get around with kids here. They also seem to have kids later in life. So I'm definitely a rarity. Even though the Milanese don't have many children, most of them love kids. I can't tell you how many times someone has reached out to rub Gabriel's hair or touch his cheeks. It seems to be perfectly ok to touch someone's kids. He was confused at first, but now he likes it. He gives a cute smile and says "ciao!", knowing they will get a kick out of hearing him speak Italian. Most restaurants also make sure to feed the kids first or at least give them some bread to nibble on. So it seems to be a kid-friendly place.
Holidays:
It's now August, and most of the city is closing down as everyone goes on holiday. This is a tradition, since usually August is so hot. Most Italians head to the beach or some other fun place. When they're gone, the city turns into a gost town. Shops and restaurants are closed for the month, and the streets are less busy. We were planning to visit the French Riviera in August for some relaxing beach time, but after seeing the prices during this peak season we have decided to wait until later. We do have a two-day trip planned to Belaggio, which is the town which the famous hotel in Las Vegas is named after. It's just north of us and located on a lake with picturesque scenery. I'm very excited to start traveling!
Gelato:
Gelato here is considered a snack, not a dessert. So it has become a common activity for us to meet Richard after work at the local gelato place and then walk him home. And it's so tasty! Each gelato shop, which can be found on most streets, carries a variety of flavors. I want to taste them all, but I sure do like the Nutella flavor!
Things I Don't Like:
1. Stinky people - I'm not sure if it's all Italians who don't shower often, or just a few, but I almost always smell someone while I'm out and about. Yuck!
2. Dog poo on the sidewalk - So we're in the city, and there's not a lot of grass. I get it. But at least pick up after your dog! So gross.
Overall, we are very much enjoying it here!
Until next time... Ciao!
I am sitting in a coffee bar as I type this. The internet at our temporary apartment is horrible. So Richard is watching the kids as sit here sipping my cappuccino and using the wifi. Thanks Richard! After 1.5 weeks in Milan, I want to give an update on how we are and what we think of Milan so far.
Flight and arrival:
We took a night flight here and flew business class, courtesy of the company. It was my first time, and I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Gabriel and I sat next to each other and played with the buttons for the first half hour. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone sitting near us, as we made our chairs go up and down all the way and opened all the compartments.
We flew on Lufthansa and they were so nice to the kids. Each kid got an age-appropriate toy to entertain them. However, it wasn't long before we all settled down to sleep for the remainder of the flight. Hope had her own seat, but she ended up snuggling up with daddy. So cute.
Our temporary place is near the center of the city and we often walk to the metro to get places. We ended up getting an unlimited pass for August. This gives us access to the metro and all trams. Tram #19 drops you off right in front of our place.
Here I am with Gabriel upon arrival as we wait to meet our landlord. The location is decent, but we continue to struggle with internet access as well as a leak under the kitchen sink. Hopefully those get fixed quickly.
Coffee:
Bars are popular here. But they're not like American bars. Here, there are coffee bars everywhere, and Italians love to get an espresso and relax mid-day or after work. Our apartment came with this coffee maker called a Moka pot. The landlord laughed when I asked him how to use it. You put water in the bottom half, and a metal filter sits in it which holds the coffee. Place it on the stove, and the water boils up through the coffee and into the top part. Pretty neat! I bought American coffee originally, but after getting some flack from friends, I plan to try the Italian grinds next.
Fashion:
Women here seem to rarely wear pants/shorts. It's much more common for women to wear skirts/dresses. When they do wear pants, the pajama pants are really popular right now. I noticed them slowly coming into style in America, but here it's very common. They look something like this.
Children:
I get looks and questions often from people surprised to see I have more than one child, and they all seem to think I'm so young too. I can see why people living in the city would want to only have one child. It's difficult to get around with kids here. They also seem to have kids later in life. So I'm definitely a rarity. Even though the Milanese don't have many children, most of them love kids. I can't tell you how many times someone has reached out to rub Gabriel's hair or touch his cheeks. It seems to be perfectly ok to touch someone's kids. He was confused at first, but now he likes it. He gives a cute smile and says "ciao!", knowing they will get a kick out of hearing him speak Italian. Most restaurants also make sure to feed the kids first or at least give them some bread to nibble on. So it seems to be a kid-friendly place.
Holidays:
It's now August, and most of the city is closing down as everyone goes on holiday. This is a tradition, since usually August is so hot. Most Italians head to the beach or some other fun place. When they're gone, the city turns into a gost town. Shops and restaurants are closed for the month, and the streets are less busy. We were planning to visit the French Riviera in August for some relaxing beach time, but after seeing the prices during this peak season we have decided to wait until later. We do have a two-day trip planned to Belaggio, which is the town which the famous hotel in Las Vegas is named after. It's just north of us and located on a lake with picturesque scenery. I'm very excited to start traveling!
Gelato:
Gelato here is considered a snack, not a dessert. So it has become a common activity for us to meet Richard after work at the local gelato place and then walk him home. And it's so tasty! Each gelato shop, which can be found on most streets, carries a variety of flavors. I want to taste them all, but I sure do like the Nutella flavor!
Things I Don't Like:
1. Stinky people - I'm not sure if it's all Italians who don't shower often, or just a few, but I almost always smell someone while I'm out and about. Yuck!
2. Dog poo on the sidewalk - So we're in the city, and there's not a lot of grass. I get it. But at least pick up after your dog! So gross.
Overall, we are very much enjoying it here!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Ci stiamo muovendo per l'Italia
We are moving to Italy!
Richard's job is taking us on a great adventure. The tentative schedule is to leave in June and go to Milan, Italy for 18 months, then Antwerp, Belgium for another 18 months. I am looking forward to lots of gelato and pasta! And Richard tells me Belgium is the diamond and chocolate capital of the world. Count me in!
The kids passports just came in, so I suppose we will take them with us ;) At least Gabriel knows how to say "ciao!"
Richard's job is taking us on a great adventure. The tentative schedule is to leave in June and go to Milan, Italy for 18 months, then Antwerp, Belgium for another 18 months. I am looking forward to lots of gelato and pasta! And Richard tells me Belgium is the diamond and chocolate capital of the world. Count me in!
The kids passports just came in, so I suppose we will take them with us ;) At least Gabriel knows how to say "ciao!"
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!
The closing date on our new house is just over two weeks away. Our lives without our own things went from what we thought would be two weeks to four months. For four months I have been rotating through two weeks worth of clothes, which includes only two shorts. So for most of the summer, I've been wearing the same two pairs of shorts over and over, hoping people don't notice since I switch out the tops. For four months, I've been "just getting by" with family meals, which results in mostly prepared foods, Ramen Noodles or taco salads, because I refuse to buy any ingredients that I already have in storage. Even if I had the spices, etc, I still don't have measuring cups, baking pans or decent knives. For four months Gabriel has had a very limited selection of toys (we ended up buying a few more toys and books so he didn't go crazy with boredom) which resulted in many days at the indoor mall playground or long walks outside. I became pregnant, and went through my first trimester in those four months as well! I am now sporting a baby bump that desperately needs some maternity clothes. You guessed it. They're in storage.
Although I am excited to be in our new home with our own things, I think we've learned a valuable lesson in the last four months. We don't need all that stuff! Ok ok, I know I just ranted about my poor poor life for the last four month. Very sad and tear jerking, I know. But in reality, the things I miss are only a few of the items we have in storage. So, why do we have all that other stuff, and do we really need it? I'm not saying I'm going to give it all away. No no no. I will enjoy having a TV to watch movies on instead of my small laptop. What I'm trying to say is that our family has spent much more quality time together and also learned to get by with what we have. It has been a nice little reminder to us that material things are not what's important in life. And that's probably a reminder we can all use once in a while.
All that being said, I am still very excited to have my own things back. I feel like the seagulls from Finding Nemo. "Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!" In fact, I just might reenact this scene when I see my things being delivered into our new home.
Although I am excited to be in our new home with our own things, I think we've learned a valuable lesson in the last four months. We don't need all that stuff! Ok ok, I know I just ranted about my poor poor life for the last four month. Very sad and tear jerking, I know. But in reality, the things I miss are only a few of the items we have in storage. So, why do we have all that other stuff, and do we really need it? I'm not saying I'm going to give it all away. No no no. I will enjoy having a TV to watch movies on instead of my small laptop. What I'm trying to say is that our family has spent much more quality time together and also learned to get by with what we have. It has been a nice little reminder to us that material things are not what's important in life. And that's probably a reminder we can all use once in a while.
All that being said, I am still very excited to have my own things back. I feel like the seagulls from Finding Nemo. "Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!" In fact, I just might reenact this scene when I see my things being delivered into our new home.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
We're moving... yes, again.
Today at work my company announced that the office will begin relocating to Houston, TX in 2014. We only have a short while to enjoy Virginia, Washington D.C., and the east coast. And if anyone wants to visit, you also only have a short time-frame.
We had originally thought that Houston, TX was going to be our home when I was relocated from California, but God wanted us in Virginia for a short while. At least Gabriel will be able to experience 4 seasons once in his life. Neither So. Cal nor Houston really give you 4 seasons.
I'll keep you updated on move dates when I know more. The announcement said we start moving in 2014 and finish in 2015. It could be as little as 18 months or as many as 30 months.
We had originally thought that Houston, TX was going to be our home when I was relocated from California, but God wanted us in Virginia for a short while. At least Gabriel will be able to experience 4 seasons once in his life. Neither So. Cal nor Houston really give you 4 seasons.
I'll keep you updated on move dates when I know more. The announcement said we start moving in 2014 and finish in 2015. It could be as little as 18 months or as many as 30 months.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
New House Progress
I started taking pictures the first week of May, and take one every time we visit. Here is the progress on our new townhouse.
Hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate, and the house will be completed on schedule. I would love to be moved in by the time the Cubs come to town and play the Nationals (Sept 3-6).
 |
| May 6 - Starting pouring foundation |
 |
| May 22 - First Floor |
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| May 26 - Second & Third Floors |
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| June 2 - The roof |
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Moving Pictures
Just thought I would share these pics I took during our move.
"Ready to go, Mom!"
"Wait, what happened to the couch?"
King of the hill.
Helping Daddy vacuum.
Chillin' with Tim, aka Tio Tim, in our temporary home.
And giggling with Marlene, aka Tia Leeny.
A short nap on Daddy during the flight.
Followed by many many walks up and down the isles.
Gabriel did really well during such a long flight, which made it much more enjoyable. TYJ.
"Ready to go, Mom!"
"Wait, what happened to the couch?"
King of the hill.
Helping Daddy vacuum.
Chillin' with Tim, aka Tio Tim, in our temporary home.
And giggling with Marlene, aka Tia Leeny.
A short nap on Daddy during the flight.
Followed by many many walks up and down the isles.
Gabriel did really well during such a long flight, which made it much more enjoyable. TYJ.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Moving Update
I finally have the internet! I have been stuck in an apartment along with the baby. We've had no car, no TV and no internet. Richard has been hard at work, which means Gabriel and I are stuck watching the rain. BUT now I have internet. Yippee!!!
Ok, so while Gabriel is napping I figured I would post an update on our move. We had a bad turn of events on our way out here, and it threw us for a loop! It started with the house we had a contract on. The appraisal came in significantly lower than the sale price, and the sellers refused to budge. So we got out of the contract. That was the day before the movers came to pack our stuff. Little did we know, we would be staying in an apartment for months and needed to plan accordingly. So we only packed for two weeks. The next day, it was pouring cats and dogs (which hardly ever happens in SoCal), and well we can't stop the move because of weather. So I am hoping our stuff didn't get too wet when they were loading the truck.
We stayed at Tim and Marlene's house for 5 nights before flying out to Virginia. During that time, I found us an apartment to stay in. The apartment complex called the day before we flew out and said our application was denied, because Richard had a criminal record from Rhode Island. WHAT?!?! "Are you kidding", I asked. But I got a blunt "No" over the phone. Fortunately it took only 24 hours to get that mess cleared up. Don't worry folks, I am not actually married to a criminal. The same day, we found out someone stole our credit card information and tried to charge it with $1300 worth of stuff! Sheesh! So the credit card was deactivated, which meant we were now homeless and had no money. Not a good combination.
I am happy to report that we are now staying in an apartment AND we have money :). We ended up renting furniture, since our furniture was in storage, and it would be too difficult to sort through the boxes and only unpack what we needed. We also spent the first weekend doing a mad dash and looked at every option available on the housing market. After not being happy with what we saw we decided to look into a new development area. There we found a very nice town home within our budget available in August. So, that's where we are at now. We have signed on the new home, which will be staked out this week. The fun part is picking out all the details to the home. Well, I should clarify. It's fun for me, but I think Richard might just be seeing dollar signs.
I will post updates of the house as it comes along. We are very excited to move out of this apartment and into a place we can call home... with our own things!
Ok, so while Gabriel is napping I figured I would post an update on our move. We had a bad turn of events on our way out here, and it threw us for a loop! It started with the house we had a contract on. The appraisal came in significantly lower than the sale price, and the sellers refused to budge. So we got out of the contract. That was the day before the movers came to pack our stuff. Little did we know, we would be staying in an apartment for months and needed to plan accordingly. So we only packed for two weeks. The next day, it was pouring cats and dogs (which hardly ever happens in SoCal), and well we can't stop the move because of weather. So I am hoping our stuff didn't get too wet when they were loading the truck.
We stayed at Tim and Marlene's house for 5 nights before flying out to Virginia. During that time, I found us an apartment to stay in. The apartment complex called the day before we flew out and said our application was denied, because Richard had a criminal record from Rhode Island. WHAT?!?! "Are you kidding", I asked. But I got a blunt "No" over the phone. Fortunately it took only 24 hours to get that mess cleared up. Don't worry folks, I am not actually married to a criminal. The same day, we found out someone stole our credit card information and tried to charge it with $1300 worth of stuff! Sheesh! So the credit card was deactivated, which meant we were now homeless and had no money. Not a good combination.
I am happy to report that we are now staying in an apartment AND we have money :). We ended up renting furniture, since our furniture was in storage, and it would be too difficult to sort through the boxes and only unpack what we needed. We also spent the first weekend doing a mad dash and looked at every option available on the housing market. After not being happy with what we saw we decided to look into a new development area. There we found a very nice town home within our budget available in August. So, that's where we are at now. We have signed on the new home, which will be staked out this week. The fun part is picking out all the details to the home. Well, I should clarify. It's fun for me, but I think Richard might just be seeing dollar signs.
I will post updates of the house as it comes along. We are very excited to move out of this apartment and into a place we can call home... with our own things!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Moving Across the Country
Well it's time for the big move! We're already in the middle of the hecticness that comes with moving, selling and buying a house. Tomorrow all of our household items will be packed up, and the next day they will be shipped. We are flying out to Virginia on April 18, and hopefully will be able to move into our new home on the 26. Looking forward to this new adventure!
Monday, April 2, 2012
New Home
We're back from our trip! And what a busy couple of weeks it has been! We found a beautiful home in Virginia, and will be flying out on April 18. Here are some pictures I took with my phone. I know I forgot to get a picture of the most important room, the kitchen! But at least you can get an idea of the house.
After our time house hunting in Virginia, I flew back to Texas and spent a week with the Touchstone family. I'll blog more about that soon. For now, I'm going to find my long lost friend. His name is sleep.
After our time house hunting in Virginia, I flew back to Texas and spent a week with the Touchstone family. I'll blog more about that soon. For now, I'm going to find my long lost friend. His name is sleep.
Monday, March 19, 2012
We're Moving!
It's official. We're moving! Although not where we thought we would be moving to. Like everyone else, we love to plan out our lives and where we'll go or what we'll do. We figured we would move to Texas around August due to a relocation from Richard's work. Well, he did get relocated, but not to Texas. We're moving to Virginia! And a lot sooner than planned! We'll probably be there before the month of April is over. It's such short notice that we're scrambling to get our house on the market and find a new home.
This week we'll be flying out to go house hunting. Please pray for a smooth process and just the right home/community. And please pray for Gabriel and Touchstone family, who will be watching him the whole time... in Texas... 1,656 miles away. I'm not worried. I just hope Gabriel doesn't get scared or lonely without seeing his mommy and daddy for 5 days. I hope Danielle can handle two babies at once, with mine that just learned to walk. I hope Gabriel is comfortable in a new home even though he's not familiar with it. What if he needs me?! OK I am worried... Sigh... Lord help me!
This week we'll be flying out to go house hunting. Please pray for a smooth process and just the right home/community. And please pray for Gabriel and Touchstone family, who will be watching him the whole time... in Texas... 1,656 miles away. I'm not worried. I just hope Gabriel doesn't get scared or lonely without seeing his mommy and daddy for 5 days. I hope Danielle can handle two babies at once, with mine that just learned to walk. I hope Gabriel is comfortable in a new home even though he's not familiar with it. What if he needs me?! OK I am worried... Sigh... Lord help me!
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