Checking Out

...of our apartment. The day after our move we were scheduled to check out of Epernay Apartments.

It took us a little while to get going in the morning with our busy day and short night before, but we made it over to check out. Here's what the place looked like the morning after our move. A little chaotic.





Thankfully, I had done a lot of cleaning the night before our move (a good part of the reason I was up until 4am!) and we were SO glad I did. It's just not fun to go back to your apartment and clean when you're anxious to spend your energies on your new place. So we went over to the apartment and I cleaned some baseboards, and hit the carpet with the vacuum again, dusted some blinds, wiped out the oven cleaner I put on the other night and we were good to go!

Nathan's been watching Daddy work on things, unscrewing things, drilling things etc. Now he always tries to stick a screwdriver in everything!

Don't freak out. It's not a receptacle, it's a phone jack.





I love this kid.


Nathan in the empty living room.




Nathan's room, once office/guest bedroom.


Our bedroom.


Nathan doesn't want to leave!

Not really. He's showing his dislike for the fact that daddy went out the door without taking him with! I think he ran down to the car for something or took the trash out.

Spic and span as it's going to get!


The next renters will benefit from some nice improvements to this apartment! Extra shelves in the laundry, a bar for coats in the closet, and awesome shelves in Nathan's closet...thanks to my dad!


Right before our walk through.


Last family picture at Epernay!


We were a little concerned because all of our friends had stories of how they had to pay fines for little things that seemed ridiculous upon moving out. Or else they had to go back and clean some more or they would get fined. It seems a lot of the apartments around here depend on the people moving out to clean for the next renters as opposed to hiring a professional. Seems kind of gross to me but I guess that's why they are sticklers on the day you check out. I don't know how Epernay usually handles it, but our walk through took about 5 minutes. No fines and we get our security deposit back! We did get someone who was just hired in the office and we were her first walk through, so maybe that helped! I guess Kathleen (the manager) told her she should have no problems because we always keep our place clean. Kathleen has been so great to us through this entire moving out process. We are very grateful to her for her flexibility with us!

Outside shot driving away...


That's our apartment on the second floor!

I hope the next renters enjoy it as much as we did. We truly have had some great memories in this apartment but are looking forward to the new ones we make in our new home as well!

MOVING on!

The Friday night before moving day Matt and I were working late to be ready for all of wonderful friends in the morning!


Yes, this calls for a Mountain Dew!


So different in the apartment with everything down off of the walls.


Check out Matt's spectacular pack job on the lamp!


I think we have tripled our cabinet and counter space going from this kitchen to our new one! Thankfully, I didn't know any better prior to this, so we made it work!


Our room


Nathan's room


His last night sleeping in his first home!


We worked until 4am but we were ready for everyone on Saturday morning! Let the moving begin!


We had 3 trucks and a trailer to move! Kyle had a truck and trailer, Craig had a truck and Jim (our Administrator) brought his truck as well! It was great. We did the whole move in one trip. For those of you who are surprised...yep, our apartment had enough in it to fill that many trucks! Not to mention how many loads we took over prior to the move. Ashley couldn't believe how fit that much stuff into our small apartment. But, we just did because we had to!

These guys worked fast. I ran to Sam's for food with Nathan and got back maybe 10-15 minutes after 10. They started at 10 and had already filled most of Craig's truck when I got there!


Ashley was a life saver to come and chase around Nathan for the day. (This is no small job!)


Jen & Jamin met us over at the house!


The heaviest and most awkward item of them all...the dreaded wardrobe!


The girls and the chidren...there to offer moral support.


Matt showed up! (He was putting Nathan's crib together). There will be no problem moving it now.


Think they will ever move this down to the basement for me? :)

I'm kind of afraid to ask!

Made it around the corner.


CUTIE!!!


Coming up to help the men!

Did I mention the lovely Jen is pregnant again!!!? She is due mid-July I believe. We are excited to have another VanHorn around!

Pretty much, there. Mission accomplished.


Nathan wearing the tape measure around his neck. He loves to put everything around his neck so we have to watch that. I called him a seamstress, Matt probably more appropriately calls him a tailor when he does this!


3 hours from when they started...all moved in and ready for lunch at 1!






Pork barbeque hits the spot!


Craig offers to get to work on the door locks. Craig & Mandi let us know that for not a whole lot more money, we could replace all of our door hardware with Quick Set door locks in satin nickel instead of paying a locksmith to come out and change the locks!

They wanted to get it done because they seemed to be more worried about our safety than we were! They are really sweet.

Jen kept the boys entertained while Mandi, Ashley and I unpacked the kitchen. And she made Nathan a cape out of bubble wrap!


Looks like she gave him a tail too!






I love this one.


Jen making it look like he's flying!


As if door locks were not enough, Kyle says, let's put up the light fixtures! So they get to work on the entryway light.

There was a nice one already here but we purchased a satin nickel one for the dining room and I wanted them to match. Plus, satin nickel just makes me happy. It's soothing to me!

Kyle left us his ladder and Craig & Manid stuck around to help Matt put up the one in the dining room too. These ceilings are HIGH!!!


Amber came too in the afternoon to help us unpack and set things up! She very good an organizing things. We took a group shot by the new light fixture! I LOVE it.

Mandi & Amber even put felt tips on the bottom of our table and chairs!

Our back door that goes into the yard all ready to go with the new door locks!


These two do good work!


Even changed out the kick plate! Still need to put the knocker on, Matt and Craig ran into a few difficulties...Matt needs to do some patchwork :)


I need to teach Nathan to not go through a woman's purse! :)






I went to bed a happy woman that night! In part because of this!


But actually, Matt and I both went to bed feeling VERY blessed that night for such wonderful friends who helped us move and totally went above and beyond our expectations for the day. And not to mention a job where his boss volunteers to come and help as well! Who does that anymore? We are grateful for God's provision for us in our friends, our church and in career. This is a good start to 2012!

New Years

We just hung out at home on New Years this year. Matt worked both Saturday and Sunday on New Years weekend, so it was nice to spend time with him at night. We even forgot to watch the ball drop Saturday night, but we heard fireworks so we knew it was midnight and got our kiss in :) This is the only picture I have to share from New Years weekend! I believe it is New Years Day, as you can see the Sunday football on in the background! I love Nathan's stance in his striped socks from his Aunt Adrienne.

Oops!

I discovered that there were some pictures I forgot to post of Christmas Day! If you go back to this post, you will find some in the middle that are new, and a few more closer to the end.