Short-Term housing? Have a Vacation Mindset!

 

 

We just moved into our new "home" away from home. My husband and I are temporarily staying at a lakeside Airbnb until our new home is finished. Not moving directly from one home to the next is challenging. Most of our things are in storage, our pups are being boarded, and we will be in a completely different area. Our stay should be fairly short term. (just a few months-finger's crossed). The largest difference will be going from 2200 sq. feet of space down to 300 sq feet!

I must admit I've been nervous. The unknown bothers me since we don't know exactly when our new home will be complete.

I've been working on a mindset change to help calm those nerves. After all, who knows when we'll live by the lake again! 😎

So here are a few things I've done to help things go smoother and feel more comfy: 

1. Lighting - I have a candle that fits inside a mason jar, which I love! It gives off warm light and feels safer than an open flame. I bought mine at a dollar store and will take it to the new place for ambiance. I'm also going to take one lamp. RV's sometimes have harsh overhead lighting and many times after a long day I just want to read by a softer light. 💗
2. Pictures - Currently these are already packed due to simplifying the home for all the potential buyer showings but I'm going to take a few with us instead. I may put them on the fridge to save space. I may also take a small painting that makes me happy. 
3. Comfort - I'm taking our own sheets, pillows, blankets, our own shower and floor mats, and my coffee pot (and fav cup). I know the Airbnb has them but I want to take ours. No reason to change every little detail. Also, I'm going to take our Google mini. We like to use it for white noise at night and ask it questions a ton.
4. Two Feliway plug ins-  I will plug these in a few hours before moving my cats so that they are calmer. It'll be a HUGE change for them and in the past, these have helped. I read recently that in Russia, it’s considered good luck to let a cat walk across the threshold of your new home before you move in. This ritual is so important that one Russian bank decided to offer a loaner cat.

No matter how much you plan, moving is just dang hard and stressful so if you have any other suggestions, feel free to share them! 

Saying Goodbye to a Home

Our current house is under contract to sell and, God willing, it will only be a week until we move. Packing and coordinating a move is stressful for sure! On top of that stress, we don't often talk about the emotions, even the mourning, that can take place. 

Our homes are full of memories. They hold both good and bad moments of our lives. So what do you do with all these emotions? I've been stuffing them, personally. The toll on my mind and body is obvious to me. I realized today that I have "rituals" for moving into a new house for sure - praying through the rooms, laying on the living room floor dreaming about this new place of sanctuary etc., - but I hadn't created much room to say goodbye to this current house. 

So I've gone on the hunt to begin this process. Here are some tiny projects I'll be doing that may help someone else someday. 

Good Memories - Spend some time in each room focused on good memories, growth that took place, and laughter. Go to the street and take a long hard look at the home that gave you shelter from storms, heat, rain, and even the pandemic! Consider taking a video so you can remember the sounds of the neighborhood or the backyard birds. Take some time to list all the great memories you can remember!
 

Bad Memories  - homes can hold heartache too. I don't want to take the bad feelings that were created from stress, anger, and drama into my next place but lately, even as they come to mind I find myself stuffing them. Sometimes we need space to mourn the things we hoped for that didn't take place. We need a place to break free. To break up some negative energy and thoughts before I move, I'm going to:

• Grab a large glass jar
• Take a marker and write bad memories on the outside
• Go outside and place a large trash bag down on the ground.
• Smash the jar on the ground - throw it away then,
  
• Be at peace, focus on your new beginning and move on! 

Do not forget...

 

 PS - Considering throwing out the old broom so the negative aspects of your life at your previous home do not follow you to your new home. A new broom = fresh, clean start to life in your new house.

Vacation to Hot Springs, AR

My husband and I took a few days vacation in Hot Springs. We highly recommend the trolley tour, taking your own water containers and filling up, plus enjoying all the beautiful artwork in the downtown area and parks. We did not swim in any of the pools but we did sight see and enjoy a slower paced vacation to just enjoy each other's company.

 Below are a few photos in random order. 

Breakfast Poetry Picnic

Over the weekend, the weather was exceptionally cool for May in Texas. This afforded me the chance to steal away for a poetry picnic. I've not done this since 2013! 

I grabbed a blanket and pillow to create a lounge in the back of my CX-5, bought some breakfast and coffee, took a few poetry books I've read and one I've been trying to finish, then headed off to find a quiet place to read and write verse. It was so refreshing that I ended up staying out for over 3 hours! 

At first I went to the lake but it was very windy and loud. So I drove to an overlook and relaxed. Then needing a little break, I drove to a restaurant and headed out again but this time to a local park.

I feel like I'm not taking enough time away from social media lately or getting enough silence in my schedule to think. Today I had the intrusive thought, "Facebook makes me hate people." I get so tired of the posts I'm seeing. I just need to break free and spend some time doing things in my life that are rewarding and fulfilling. Since Summer is right around the corner, and it's my least favorite time of year, I've decided to spend focused time away from technology each week and work on my summer hygge items. 

Here are some quick photos of my poetry picnic and a sample writing from the day: 

"Consider the Covenant of Light. The whispers of the dry rice weeds in the wind. A prayer silently cast onto the bird's wings to be carried to waters until it sinks into the depths of rest." - Silver Trumpets

 

 

 

Amanda Gorman, poet; excerpt from poem "What We Carry"

Breathing Space - quick weekend escape

 My hubby swept me away to a weekend in Electra-Wichita Falls. The rest was beyond needed. Here are a few pictures. 

Stunning Modern Farmhouse Studio Cottage! At this moment - here is a link to this AirBnb. Not sponsored, just wanted to recommend :)https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53385836?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=3e0e0ada-f731-4de4-bd53-1aee720599a2

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53385836?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=3e0e0ada-f731-4de4-bd53-1aee720599a2https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53385836?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=3e0e0ada-f731-4de4-bd53-1aee720599a2
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53385836?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=3f0da249-8fb2-4f54-8836-1f523a426783https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53385836?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=3f0da249-8fb2-4f54-8836-1f523a426783

 

 

Love of a Lifetime

Six months ago, I married a wonderful man! It's been a whirlwind. We met during Covid in June 2020, dated for a year, were engaged the day after that 1 year anniversary, and wed only 5 months later! I'll post more soon to include planning tips and tricks for our little micro wedding but just wanted to post some beautiful wedding photos.