New home update!

Ian and I have been busy little bees that's for sure! We dove right in and started painting rooms in the house (remind me to never paint another kitchen again!) and our movers thankfully didn't take long to arrive so we could begin the unpacking process quickly.

Then, miracle of all miracles, I got a job!! My wonderful friend Ashley put in a good word for me at her place of employment and I was interviewed my first Monday here and then hired on the spot! Thank you, Jesus! I am an office administrator/assistant for a property management company. We rent out homes of course, but also provide furnished apartments for more temporary needs. It is always busy, always changing and keeps me on my toes and I. love. it. Plus the owners are really laid back, military friendly and hilarious. Did I mention that I get to work with one of my best friends? A huge bonus!

So needless to say, getting the house all settled has been a slower process but I don't mind. So without further ado, here are some pictures of what we have done (so far).

Front

Fall wreath made by yours truly

Front entry (still not set on what to do with the stair wall)

As you enter 

Dining room (we have plans to install a chair rail)

Powder room - next up to be painted

Kitchen

Breakfast table 

Opposing view of kitchen

Living room (note: couch will be moving to bonus room in near future and shelf needs to be lowered)

The fireplace is my favorite part of the house!

Master bath - His

Hers

Master bedroom complete with new furniture...we feel like such grown ups! 

Upstairs hallway (I want to add a table and lamp to the wall on the left)

Guest bath

Guest room

Bonus room (in progress)

A t.v. and furniture are in the works!

Backyard - still a major work in progress but it's looking better!

One more place added to our list :)

Moving Mania

Hello again! My sincerest apologies for the lack of posts... life has been hectic to say the least!

We left our home in Fort Huachuca, AZ and made the trek east to Fort Campbell and are getting settled into Clarksville, TN. I have to say, we came here at an excellent time...we missed the hot summer humidity and now the leaves are starting to turn gorgeous colors and it is just beautiful here. I promise, pictures soon...

We kicked our road trip off by picking my brother Jeff and his friend Chris up from the Tucson airport the night before we moved. Jeff was a huge help by offering to drive my car cross country for me. Now, I know his main motivation was a road trip across the south with a buddy (they hit everything from College Station, TX to New Orleans to Jacksonville, FL and Charleston) but I'd like to think he was also happy to help save his big sis from having to drive her car alone for so many hours. We took Jeff and Chris to our favorite southern Arizona eatery - the Screaming Banchee in Bisbee - for some yummy food and then of course the boys had to get it started right by taking part in beer tasting at the local brewery.

Maggie was super excited to see her Uncle Jeff!

Dinner at the Screaming Banchee

After bidding adieu to the boys in the morning, Ian and I left our AZ home and made our first stop in Fort Stockton, TX. We thankfully then had a reprieve from long car drives for a while as we met his family in the Texas Hill Country for a few days at a cute little cabin. Filling our agenda was hiking, wine tasting, swimming and shopping the quaint little shops of Fredericksburg.

You don't want to know how many takes this took... ;)

At the top of Enchanted Rock 

Typical male - leaving the wife to do all the work...

Making friends withe some really "big dogs" as Maggie thought 

Wine tasting at Becker Vineyards

Sliding down the Ingram Dam

Of course a trip to Texas in the fall has to include some Aggie football! We had a great time watching Texas A&M beat SMU! 

 

Gig 'Em Aggies! (P.s. Pardon my windblown look - it was insanely windy!)

After parting ways with the family, we had a quick stay in Little Rock before finally making it to Tennessee! Whoop! 

Our realtor met us at our new address and gave us our keys to our new home! We could not of been more excited! 

My brother arrived shortly thereafter and we were able to fit in an afternoon in Nashville before they had to catch their flight home. 

On Broadway 

Boys will be boys

Jeff giving his best Elvis "lip" 

Our road trip was a fun, family filled and exhausting few days, but we wouldn't of wanted it any other way! 

Farewell, Fort Huachuca

The move is upon us! The movers come tomorrow, my brother dearest arrives on Tuesday, and we head east on Wednesday!

It's an odd feeling knowing that there's a strong possibility you may never be at a certain location again. Though we have enjoyed our time here in Arizona, both Ian and I agree that we would prefer not to be stationed here again. On our hike yesterday, I stood atop the hills trying to savor it all in... Southern Arizona sure does have some beautiful sights. We are already planning a night at our favorite pizza joint in Bisbee, Screaming Banchee Pizza, the night before we leave. Now that is one place we definitely will miss! I am definitely excited to arrive in Tennessee, but I can't help but feel a little melancholy at the close of another chapter in our lives. (And I definitely will miss the short hours Ian has had to put in while in class.)

There have definitely been some wonderful aspects to our short sting in Sierra Vista.

The Friends

The girlies - Halli, me, and Ashley

The boys - Ian, Cameron and Alex

My wine tasting buddy! 

Girls night! Royal Wedding slumber/viewing party 

The Family

Brother Jeff and I at the Tucson zoo

Wine tasting with Ian's side of the familia! They came for Easter and we had a wonderful time showing them ALL OVER southern AZ! 

With my side of our family! Ok, so this was in Idaho, not AZ, but it was for my bro's college graduation, which was a huge event while we were living here!

The Fun in the  Sun

There was a lot of great hiking...here we're overlooking the Coronado Natl. Forest, which borders THE border! 

Tombstone! Me hanging out with my newest friends 

Somehow I got Ian to do TWO of these pictures!

Father and fur-daughter strolling on post

We had to go to a Diamondbacks game! (And eat ballpark dogs of course!)

No trip to AZ is complete without a stop at the Grand Canyon! 

Personal Achievements

I ran in my first 5k! Not generally huge, but huge for me!

Ian graduated his Captains Career Course! 

Lastly, there was one event in particular Ian and I both agree will not soon be forgotten... the wildfire near us! We won't soon forget the sights of the black smoke coming from the mountains behind our home or the smell of the burnt air, or how we kept checking the evacuation statuses and had some stuff together just in case. It was an image that is forever burned in our memories (pun intended). 

Bye, Arizona! Helloooo Tennessee!